DEATH
Kenneth Hooper, 58, pastor of the Salem and Warrensburg, MO churches died suddenly September 6. His death was caused by a stroke.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Elsie Headley Hooper, six sons, and one daughter. Also he is survived by his mother, Mrs. Ruth Hooper, two brothers, and thirteen grandchildren.

He had been a farmer, a grocer, and had served in the ministry for a number of years. He served churches in Ewing-McLin presbytery in Illinois, in Mayfield and Princeton presbyteries in Kentucky; he had also served the Fullerton-DeWitt Illinois churches.

The funeral was held in Fairfield, IL and the burial was in the cemetery of the Union North CP church.

[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, October 1, 1975, page 11]

Kenneth Vertrese Hooper was born 26 April 1917 southeast of Fairfield, Illinois in Wayne County, Illinois. He was the eldest of three sons of Lawrence Verner and Ruth (Wilson) Hooper. Kenneth’s siblings were Lawrence Wilson Hooper, now deceased, and Eldon Ray Hooper who now resides in Chandler, Indiana. Lawrence served in the Army, Eldon in the Navy, but Kenneth was not called to service.

His family came into Illinois from Kentucky as early as 1820 and lived within a few miles of where the first Hoopers settled. Kenneth was born in a house that was made from hewn logs and was later added on to. As he grew up he began to help his father on the farm. He graduated with excellent grades and attendance from Wagner school, located about a mile south of his home. He attended and graduated from Fairfield Community high school. He also loved to play a guitar and sing and at one time played with a little band in Fairfield, Illinois.

Kenneth and Elsie Mae Headley married 24 March 1937 in Gibson County, Indiana and continued to help his father Verner Hooper to farm. Kenneth and his new wife lived with his father and mother. Kenneth and his wife rented a place and moved out on their own. They would later buy a 60 acre place in Leech Township, Wayne County, Illinois and settle to raise their family of seven children. Kenneth did many other things while he was farming, including owning and operating a grocery store at the Merriam, Wayne County, Illinois crossroads. He also drove a school bus for years for Merriam grade school in Wayne County, Illinois.

Kenneth’s religious roots ran very deep and long. His mother was Ruth Wilson, a descendant of George Wilson and Delilah Shaw, who were very instrumental in establishing religious and educational learning centers in the early settlement of Wayne County, Illinois in the Thomas Prairie area in the northwest part. Kenneth received his religious training in his home and at Union North Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He was converted and joined this church at the age of 11 on 14 February 1928. Union North Cumberland Presbyterian Church was established with the help of Kenneth’s great-great-grandfather, Andrew Neel, in whose home it was established in 1852 and he became one of the church’s first elders. Kenneth’s great-grandfather, James Wilson, would later become an elder of the church. Kenneth’s grandfather, A. Shields Wilson, was elected elder of the same church. Kenneth’s father, Verner Hooper, was elected elder of the same church. So, it didn't come as any surprise when Kenneth, too, was elected elder of Union North Cumberland Presbyterian Church. With all this preparation, Kenneth eventually would receive and accept the call of God to become a Minister of the Gospel. Kenneth was ordained Minister of the Gospel of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church on 6 June 1954 at Union North Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He would see all his children be converted and all but one join Union North Cumberland Presbyterian Church before they left home.

Kenneth would begin to pastor in small churches in Wayne County, Illinois. He pastored at: Elm River Cumberland Presbyterian Church near Mt. Erie, Illinois; Cumberland Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church, north of Fairfield, Illinois; Hazel Ridge Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Norris City, Illinois; Old Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Church, near Salem, Illinois in Marion County; West Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church near Enfield, Illinois in White County; Knights Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Oakland City, Indiana. None of these pastorates were full time. During this time Kenneth still lived on his farm, driving the school bus, farming and operating the grocery store. Then the call came from Sturgis, Kentucky with an opening at Bells Mine Cumberland Presbyterian Church for a pastor full time. So, he and Elsie would go down on Saturday, spend the night with some member, and come back after church on Sunday night. Kenneth was then called to pastor at Pleasant Valley Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Kevil, Kentucky. This church had a manse, so he and Elsie moved on the field, keeping the family farm in Wayne County, Illinois. He was later called to pastor the Sugar Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Marion, Kentucky. The pastorates in Kentucky lasted several years. Then, a call came from the DeWitt, Illinois Cumberland Presbyterian Church and he answered it. Here he would pastor two churches each Sunday. Fullerton Cumberland Presbyterian Church near Farmers City, Illinois also needed a pastor. So, Kenneth would preach at Fullerton at the 10 o'clock hour and at the DeWitt church at the 11 o'clock hour. During his stay in DeWitt, he and Elsie decided to sell the family farm as none of the children were going to continue with it. He was at DeWitt a few years and was then called to Warrensburg Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Johnson County, Missouri as pastor. While at Warrensburg, Kenneth was called home by his Maker and Lord on 6 September 1975. Funeral services were held in Fairfield, Illinois and burial followed in the Union North Cumberland Presbyterian Church cemetery, Wayne County, Illinois where the majority of his ancestors lie, awaiting the return of The Lord. If he could, he would tell you that the work that the Lord had for him to do was finished and that is why he was called away from this cold, cruel world.

[Source: Mr. K. Verdaine Hooper, 826 Hwy. 75 N., Marked Tree, Arkansas 72365 - 3 Jan 2004]