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Catharine Hooper Obituary
June 26, 1946 - November 3, 2021
Catharine Moore Hooper passed away on November 3, 2021 in San Rafael, California. She was a devoted daughter, "Auntie," a proud American and a Citizen of the World. She was an adventurous, curious and respectful world traveler, and a faithful neighbor for 30+ years at her "Mill Valley Retreat" on Wainwright Place. She was 75 years old.
The first of Jack Edwards Hooper and Beatrice Church Witter Hooper's three children, Catharine spent her childhood in Piedmont, California, earning honors at Havens Middle School and Piedmont High School, where she served as Senior Class Secretary in 1964. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in French with a Minor in Art History as a graduate of UC Berkeley's 100th class in 1968. GO BEARS! She was also a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and the Crop and Saddle Riding Club there.
Following a three-year stint with the Oakland Athletics during their 1972-1974 World Series championship runs, she pursued her passion for travel, and joined P&O Cruises in Los Angeles, which later became Princess Cruises (aka "The Love Boat"), serving in a number of roles over a decade. Returning to the Bay Area in the mid-1980s, Catharine continued her work in the passenger cruise industry at Royal Viking Line and Royal Cruise Line. These professional opportunities afforded her the chance to travel the world, experience new cultures and embody the spirit of a "Citizen of the World." She took great pride in her contributions to the development and growth of the passenger cruise industry during her time in it.
A long-time lover of ships, due in no small part to her father, a decorated World War II Navy officer, Catharine served as the primary port agent for U.S. Navy, foreign flagged military and passenger cruise vessels for the Port of San Francisco. She also took on similar special assignments in San Diego, Port Everglades, Key West, Savannah, Boston, New York and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Additionally, Catharine served as the Maritime and Force Protection Director for San Francisco Fleet Week from 1995-2018, and was a member of the San Francisco Harbor Safety Commission (HSC) and the POSF MCAC (Maritime Commerce Advisory Committee).
She discovered a love for India during her later years, spending nearly half the year living in and exploring the country. More importantly, this led to her "adoption" of a Pushkar camel called Moti whom she sponsored for several years.
Catharine is survived by her sister, Martha Church Hooper and brother-in-law, Ali Erdogan Agca of Urla, Turkey, her brother, Thomas Edwards Hooper and sister-in-law, Christy Sweet Hooper of Stockton, her nephew, Julian Palavicini Soler III of Portland, Oregon, her three nieces, Stephanie Lisa Soler of San Francisco, Molly Kathleen Hooper of Arlington, Virginia and Betsy Church Hooper of Stockton, two great nephews, John Stassen Soler of San Francisco and Alexander Robert-Thomas Alums of Stockton, and several loving cousins.
Memorial contributions may be sent to the Mill Valley Public Library Foundation, MVLF.org, 375 Throckmorton Avenue, Mill Valley, CA 94941, or to a charity of choice.
A celebration of Catharine's life will be scheduled in the Bay Area in the early part of next year. To be notified when and where the memorial will be held, email [email protected]. The family would also very much appreciate any memories, remembrances, stories and/or photographs you may have at the same email address.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Catharine Hooper
Rosemary East Hygate
December 11, 2025
As I write my Christmas cards and come upon your name I am reminded of our hours of brilliant conversations. I miss you my friend. So much.
Stephen Godfrey
September 3, 2025
I only just now discovered that Catharine has died. We met on a flight...seat mates in first class for a coast-to-coast flight. We dated for a year or more after that. She lived in Torrance then (I was in Costa Mesa). We took a holiday together in Hawai'i. It was always a treat to go with her to San Pedro and have drinks with the ship's captain when one of Princess Cruises' ships was in port. Though I'm deeply saddened to learn she's gone, she's forever in my heart. My condolences to her family.
Jim Autry
April 13, 2024
Cathy and her sister Martha were two beautiful young girls my friends and I met during Sierra sojourns in the 1960´s. They were far too classy for the grungy Valley Boys we were in those days, but they were unfailingly kind and courteous to us. We were all madly in love with them, of course, but they were completely out of scruffy league. I was fixated on Martha, who had the kindness to break my heart early in the game when she went abroad for romance, sparing me more and deeper pain later. My friend was Cathy´s boy, and I think contacted her a time or two after the summer romances. We were all living in Berkeley from 1965 to 1968, but moved in very different circles (remember The Summer of Love, anyone?) so didn´t connect then. Through the years, my buddies from those long-ago times have stayed in touch and we often reminisce about the beautiful Hooper sisters. I see that Cathy was a Hooper til the end, but I hope that she found the great love she deserved. She had a long, full life at any rate, and she is sorely missed.
Wayne McCaulley
April 25, 2023
She was a stalwart doing PR at Princess Cruises. A class act from the get go.
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Joe Watters
April 11, 2022
Cathy Hooper was a very special friend.
Hoops (her nickname) and I worked together at Princess Cruises during the exciting Love Boat days and then we move on to Royal Viking Line. We stayed in touch over the years and her emails always brought a smile to my face.
She will be fondly remembered.
Joe Watters
Deedy May Ogden
April 7, 2022
Catherine was our family's guide on board several cruises. She was so much fun. Her love of India was particularly transparent and helped us really dig into that culture. She could have been the ship's captain! She was most at home on the seas.
Chris Ogden
April 6, 2022
The Ogden family - Chris, Deedy, Michael & Margaret - traveled the world with the wonderful Catharine. She made every cruise ship, every country better. She was smart, fun, caring, helpful and a delight to know. She's in Cyprus with us in the attached photo, every bit the gorgeous babe.
Jill McAuliff
December 23, 2021
Catharine was a good friend. We met when she was with Royal Viking and worked with my client the Cousteau Society. She sent us on a trip to Asia. She became a friend and we went hiking in Marin often. I lived with her 8 years ago and I learned about her love of India. I bought some treasures from her that she brought back to the states. She loved her Mill Valley home and the community. She is missed by me and my friends.
Ellen L Ward
December 20, 2021
Catharine was an incredible woman. I felt very close to her especially in the latter years. A precious memory holds unique place in my heart. Genuine and loved dearly.
Frank & Linda Haswell
December 20, 2021
A lifelong friend, a Piedmont buddy, and just a super person we were and are honored to know and love.
Michelle Godard Terrell
December 19, 2021
Catharine was a very active member of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in Mill Valley, California for years. She showed up in rain or shine and was an eager educator about emergency preparedness and always wanted to be of assistance to her neighbors and local first responders. Her dedication was appreciated by her town and she is missed!
Christina Orth
December 16, 2021
It was a shock to learn that we lost Hooper and there are many people in her world wide orbit of friends, colleagues and childhood friends that would like to celebrate her. Please let us know where and when we can do that. My sincere condolences to her brother Tom and sister Martha and their extended family. Sincerely, Christina Orth (Class of `64 Piedmont High)
Rosemary Hygate
December 15, 2021
I was deeply sad to read of Catharine´s death. We just spoke about a month previous. I will miss our hour long conversations about life, our laughter about the vagaries of it, her humor, her class and everything about her. Rest In Peace dearest friend. Until we meet again.
Susan Martin
December 14, 2021
Dearest Family members of my sweet friend, Hoops ~ I am truly in a state of shock. I have been calling Hoops for weeks and just read the posting on Facebook through RVL. I have known her since 1984 and cannot begin to convey my sorrow and grief for the loss to everyone who ever knew her. Hoops was one of my very favorite people. We shared so many momentous times together over the years. I treasure our friendship and would be very grateful for an email from someone in her family to know what happened. I cannot begin to tell you how much she will be missed. There was no one like Hoops. My prayers go to her family.
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