Obituary of Harry Joe Hooper

Harry Joe Hooper, 84, died Sunday, May 20, at his home in Whitwell. As a lifelong member of the Whitwell Church of Christ he had served the church in many capacities and with his wife had visited and supported Churches of Christ throughout the United States. He was also a member of the Christian Businessmen’s Association. Harry Joe was a very patriotic American, having served his country for two tours of duty in the US Army. After his retirement he founded Hooper Trucking Company and continued to show his allegiance by traveling with the Vietnam Memorial Wall. He was honored by CMT and their nationally syndicated TV show “Trick My Truck” when they customized his truck and renamed it “Allegiance”. A recognized civic and business leader Harry Joe was a licensed funeral director and embalmer for 55 years and was the owner/operator of Hooper Funeral Homes in Whitwell and Palmer. He was a founding member of the City of Whitwell, Whitwell Fire Department, Whitwell Labor Day Celebration, Whitwell Lions’ Club, and the Mine Rescue Team. He was widely known for his avid support of all local athletic and scholastic events. He never met a stranger and always demonstrated his love for Whitwell. Harry Joe was an entertainer, a friend to the elderly, and a talented musician and singer. From the Alpine Mountain Boys in Germany to The Sequatchie Valley Ramblers and The Crab Grass Band, Harry Joe’s life was filled with music, friends, and entertaining. He was widely traveled, having visited every state in the nation at least twice which led him to create the tour bus company, Sequatchie Valley Tours in order to return and take his friends to show them this wonderful country. Harry Joe was the son of the late A.E. “Pap” and Ruth Hooper. He was preceded in death by his brother Norwood Hooper. He is survived by his wife of 61 years Peggy Bone Hooper; three sons, Gary (Deb) Hooper of Whitwell, DuWane (Myra) Hooper of Birmingham, and Harry Joe (Traci) Hooper II of Nashville. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Derek Hooper, Whitwell, Micah (Mike) Krempasky, Asheville, NC, Sarah Hooper, Los Angeles, CA, Aubrey (Brie) Hooper, Mobile, AL, Emily Johnson, Jeffrey Johnson, and Presley Hooper, Nashville; great-grandchildren, Aggie and Lily Krempasky, Asheville, NC; a sister, Elise Hooper of Kimball , and a sister In law, Jo Hooper of Whitwell. Funeral services will be conducted from the chapel of Reed Funeral Home on Thursday at 2:00 CDT with ministers Larry Cole, Roger Layne, Doug Sims, and Richard Sain participating. The family will receive friends on Wednesday 5:00-9:00 p.m. CDT. Online condolences can be made at www.reedfamilyfh.com. Interment will be in the cemetery he co-founded, Whitwell Memorial Cemetery with military honors provided by Sequatchie Valley Honor Guard. If you wish to make a memorial contribution in Harry Joe’s honor his charity of choice was always Walker Cemetery Fund, PO Box 490, Whitwell, TN 37397.