Thomas L. "Tom" Hopper

Thomas "Tom" L. Hopper was born on January 26, 1940 to Whan and Sophronia Hopper and went to be with the Lord on September 29, 2015. He was the third of four brothers.

Tom grew up in Mt. Jackson, PA and graduated from Mt. Jackson High School. His father started and nephew Jeff still operates an HVAC and roofing business. If you saw a lemon yellow truck near Mt. Jackson, it was likely one of their company trucks. He attended Grove City College before joining the Air Force.

Tom started as a Navigator in B-52's flying out of Grand Forks, ND. He flew during the Cuban Missile Crisis as a part of the Strategic Air Command with nuclear weapons on board over the Arctic Circle with designated targets in the Soviet Union.

While stationed at Walker Air Force Base in Roswell, NM, Tom met and married Kathey (Hopper) Drummond on Nov. 26th, 1966. They were married for 28 years.

Prior to his tour in Vietnam, Tom graduated from pilot training, as class commander, and was promoted to Captain. During his service in Southeast Asia, Tom flew 51 combat missions piloting a C-130 earning him an Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters.

After his service in the Air Force, Tom attended The University of Oklahoma graduating with a degree in Petroleum Land Management. Similar to the military, Tom's job in oil and gas moved him several times before settling in Norman in 1977.

Tom (Poppa) truly adored his 8 Grandkids. He rarely missed their activities and was always the 1st one to arrive and usually the 1st one to leave. He enjoyed OU Football, politics, airplanes & airshows, old cars and traveling each year to Pennsylvania for the family reunion.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Richard, who was killed in action in Vietnam.

He is survived by: his two brothers, John and wife Maia of Geneva, IL, and Bob and wife Jodi of Mt. Jackson, PA; sister-in-law Carolyn Leeper of Mt. Jackson, PA; his three sons, Kevin and wife Shelley and their two children, Fletcher and Ryan Paige, Brian and wife Stephanie and their three children Caleb, Claire and Patrick, and Brandon and wife Traci and their three children Taylor, Jake and Avery; the mother of his three sons Kathey Hopper Drummond; nieces and nephews Richard, Ron, Jeff, Audrey, Laura, Beth Ann, David, Gretchen, Linnea, Jolene, Danny, Joel; and many grand nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Tom are scheduled for 10:00 am, Friday, October 9, 2015 at the First Presbyterian Church, 555 S. University Blvd., Norman, OK with interment in the Norman IOOF Cemetery. There will be a visitation at the Church on Thursday, October 8 from 5:00-7:00 pm. The family asks that you please consider making a monetary donation to American Cancer Society at 6525 N. Meridian Ave. #110, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 and / or Folds of Honor Foundation at 5800 N. Patriot Drive, Owasso, OK 74055. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.tribute.care. Arrangements for Tom and his family are under the care of Tribute Memorial Care, Norman, OK.