Donald Hopper Obituary

Hey Pops! Xmas is in just a couple of days and it sure isn't the same without you. The Xmas breakfasts the past couple of years were sooo special, because we were all together. Thank you for those memories. I know you're missing Randy's bacon and I promise, when we're all together again, we'll have all the bacon we want. Merry Xmas Pops and tell Trevor I love and miss him. Love ya, Jeany (#1)

Pops! (or "Mr. Hopper" as you had all the kids on our block call you)
Thank you for the great memories you've left with me and others. I and many others will miss hearing your jokes and your latest scooter adventures. Your sense of humor will be the most missed, and second will be your helping hand.
We grew up scouting, Boy Scouts for my brother and Girl Scouts for me. Girl Scouts was ok, but the Boy Scouts had many more outdoor adventures and that's were I wanted to be. I bugged him enough and he finally said "ok". Boy, was I excited! I hiked the 60 mile John Muir Trail at Mt. Whitney at the age of 10. Another hike was in Cuyamaca. With full Back Packs, the boys were lagging behind as we rounded the last turn before camp. I had my walking stick with a pair of boys underwear on top (that was dropped along the trail). As our campsite was in view, I hear my dad yell "That's My Girl!" as well as all the cheers from the other scoutmasters.
So many memories, too many to list.
Later in life, his first Grandson, Trevor, would really kick his 2nd childhood into gear. Trevor and Pops fished and golfed like no other. It was always a competition, even with the age difference. It's like those 2 kept score (they did). "I caught more fish!" "Well, I caught the biggest one!" Or, on the golfcourse, who had the better score. They were pretty evenly matched and I still have the score cards to prove it.
When my son, Trevor, passed tragically at the age of 16, my dad had lost his "best buddy". Now dad and I were in this poetry competition. I must have 30-40 poems between us. Finally that passed as we realized writing peotry was our way of grieving.
As he got older, things were getting more and more difficult. Mom took his license away (not the DMV) at 84 years young, so he got a wheelchair. That was ok for awhile, but it was too much work. His friend/neighbor, Steve, had gotten a scooter. I saw my dads eyes light up and his brain spinning. Yep, he got a scooter and his 3rd childhood began at the young age of 85. He was gone rain or shine, 6 of 7 days a week. He'd call my sister and I saying "Guess where I'm at today?". Between the buses and trains, he'd hit every So Cal spot. Newport, Huntington and Seal Beaches to watch surfers and fishermen, and Gardena, to purchase his favorite "Hoagie" sandwich, or Long Beach VA hospital to visit a friend. Everyday was an adventure!! He called my cell phone (while at work in Fullerton) and said "Open the front door and let your old man in"! My coworkers got a kick out him. One morning, early, I had called him saying I was "The Scooter Store" and his 50,000 mile check up was overdue. He laughed and laughed.
I'm gonna miss his adventures, but I'm mostly going to miss him, My Pops!
"MAY YOU FIND NEW ADVENTURES IN HEAVEN, AND KEEP 'EM LAUGHING, POPS".

Love and miss you POPs,
Your #1 daughter,
Jeany

My father was a great man. Everybody who knew him, loved him. I am so glad he got a scooter the last several months he was with us. He was all over the place with that thing. He would call me and say "Guess where I am at?' I would say "Where Dad?' He was at Seal Beach pier, newport Beach pier, etc. He watched that big rock come through town and the last few weeks he was down in San Pedro just admiring the S.S.Iowa. What a beautiful ship. You are gonna be missed by many and remembered by all. I LOVE YOU DAD. Your Baby Girl

My sincere condolances to the Hopper family. Don will surely be missed, by me and his friends at Cypress Swapmeet.

Don, If there are robots in heaven you will be their voice. Over the years of stopping by and chatting with you, hearing your tales of your service to our great country and always keeping me in line with your authoritarian voice commands compels me to say I will deeply miss you. Knowing someone like yourself and remembering my childhood hearing of the Americans in battle and watching the news reports along with the movies during war time and in conflicts I am proud to have known you and I am proud of the sacrifices you and others American solders made to protect our great nation and protect the freedom we have because of men & women like you.
Every time I think of or see a structure, a pier, a military facility, a vintage aircraft and of course a crane of any kind I always have & will think of you. I know now that if there is a story or joke to be told in heaven you will be the one telling it to all the angels as you move the clouds of heaven with your sky crane and drive about all the others in heaven on your golf cart on your way to and from the club house everyone will be listening to you as eternal happiness, joy and laughter now fills the heavens above us.
Always, Jim Cole.

Rest in Peace Mr. Hopper. Terry Miller

We met Don and Marlene at the Swap Meet and became very good friends over the years. He kept you wondering what he was going to say next. So glad that I came out and visited recently. Would love to be able to hear him and Quent telling stories about their working days. He will be greatly missed.
Phylllis Cram (La Palma, Ca.)

Don, Were going to miss you at all the car shows, thanks for the time we did spend with you, ...RIP.Randy Sidebotham

I grew up with Sharon and became very close with her family. Don was a funny man, always greeting me with a sarcastic comment and when Sharon and I would leave to go where ever we were heading out to go, he'd give us that look of "stay out of trouble". As long as I can remember he called me Sam and was always a man of few words but those few words said a lot. His laugh was deep and I can still hear him outside laughing when we were in trouble with Sharons mom. My love and prayers to the family. He will be deeply missed