Dennis Ray Hooper

Dennis Ray Hooper, 60, of Amarillo, TX died Monday, October 11, 2021.


A celebration of life will be held in the spring of 2022. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount Blvd.

Dennis was born March 4, 1961, in Amarillo, TX. His brothers named his "Dennis the Menace" and we all know he lived up to his namesake.

Bull riding was his passion in high school going as far as painting his cast black so not to be caught riding with a broken foot.

He met Melissa Knost on November 7, 1984. They married three years later to the day so he would only have one date to remember.

He took some college classes, attended welding school, truck driving school, and real estate school. Dennis used his education to do iron work on high rises until he fell and said, "that's it for me." And, for a few years he worked in the oilfield. Dennis worked at trimming out cars, headliners, pin striping for about three years. The one job he enjoyed the most and found most entertaining was when he drove a tour bus for music groups including the Doobie Brothers, Foreigner, Molly Hatchett, George Clinton, and the P Funk Allstars at Lollapalooza and many more. He also drove during the Farm Aid where he met Willie Nelson, who was his favorite overall, and drove for him and other stars for three years. His traveling career came to an end when he and Melissa just couldn't be apart any longer. It was then he began a twenty-year home remodeling and repairs career.

Dennis was a good man. He was a good provider and was never without a job; he would have done anything to support his family. What mattered most to Dennis was being together with his family and friends which he did often as they spent time outdoors fishing, camping, and four-wheeling.

Dennis never met a stranger which was illustrated to the fullest by a cruise to the Caribbean in recent years with 16 friends and he disembarked with 2500 new friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Vernon Camp; and his father-in-law, Glenn Knost.

Survivors include his wife, Melissa "Mo" Hooper; mother, Melba Camp; a son, Jason Hooper, and wife Katie; two brothers, Dale Hooper and wife Teri, and Dan Hooper and wife Teri Lynn; Aunt Margie Barclay, cousins Kara and Donald Rude; mother-in-law, Loretta Knost; nephews, David, James, Billy, and Cody Fugate, and Casey Camp; a niece, Laura Spice; granddaughters, Kylie and Kadence; great-niece, Shilo; great-nephew, Solomon; and lots of fur babies including his constant special buddy, Izzy.