Harold Hamlin Hopper

To the Hopper Family,
You are in my thoughts and prayers.
I want to express my sincerest gratitude to Dr. Hopper for being such a special physician, a special person, and being so dedicated to his community. His patients and Mills-Peninsula family were truly blessed with his presence and his compassionate care. He was an inspiraton to all. Dr. Hopper will be missed dearly, but never forgotten. Dr. Hopper, God bless you and God bless your family.

We remember him fondly as a caring Doctor. That meant so much to so many of his patients.

It's hard being away from home at a time like this. Grandad is gone; the whole family is together. I would have been there. I would have had a last time. I would be an usher at the memorial service on Wednesday with my brothers, if I was home.

Instead I find myself saying goodbye from France. This is difficult but not impossible:

On holidays we would sit with our backs close to the fire so warm and we would sing. The walls of that living room were beautiful and old, and full of antique cabinets and paintings, but then there were photos of us, my brothers and me, stuck up there amongst them. Just stuck up there. With scotch tape. Something about that killed me. I loved that. That was me, on his wall. Scotch tape.
As a kid I looked forward to rooms full of old books, and to platters of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the crusts cut off (he and Connie either made them for us or for themselves--now I can't decide which would be better). He was a doctor; he collected things; he always tucked in his shirt. This was enough for me then, but there are things about Grandad I wouldn't learn until later. I didn't know then that he risked death as a delivery man in Philadelphia before he got his medical liscense and moved his family out West. I didn't know that his eldest son had donated a kidney so he could live. I didn't know he had served at Guantanamo, or that he was a glider pilot. Imagine being a glider pilot. Imagine how that must feel, flying a glider.

Next week I can't be there Grandad, I can't, but I will try to be there as much as I am able. I hope my presence is felt. I hope, for your sake, that the service is marvelous.

Peace to you.

To all you Hoppers:

Your Pa was a good man. And always nice to many families, not just ours. Our warm feelings are with you.

The MacDonalds