Dave was like my uncle. We spent a lot of time together and I loved him like family. Our birthdays are 3 days apart so we could celebrate together. He took me, and his niece, whose birthday is a day after mine, out to get ice cream to celebrate. He got us both a beautiful bouquet of flowers from an actual florist too. Dave was the most caring and thoughtful person I had ever met and even though sometimes his yelling scared me, I knew that he really did love us so much. I was so lucky to get to have Dave in my life and I will forever look up to him.

We send our love and condolences from Florida. Thinking of you all today and praying for our family. Love you all.

Debbie Klotz and the members - past and present - of Messiah Adult Choir share their deepest condolences and sadness - missing his beautiful deep voice that filled our church choir with his tenor voice. We will always remember David keeping practicing light-hearted, even when we sang some more challenging songs. Now we look forward to joining him in the great choir of believers in heaven one day. He has the privilege of rejoicing and singing this Easter morning with that celestial choir. Until we join you there when it’s our time, please save a place in that joyful chorus: “Worthy is the name that is greater than all names, and praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!”

David was one of my best friends for the past 25 years. We met in college and his booming voice, confidence, and high knowledge left a lasting mark on myself and many aspiring pilots. Everyone thought he was older because of his maturity when in fact he was a couple years younger. He became my flight instructor a while after we met when I was working on my commercial rating. One day I asked him if he'd like to go wakeboarding. I figured he was busy but he joined us. That was the beginning of a cherished friendship. Flight training was a very small part of our relationship. We did almost everything together. Trips to the lake, getting up at 3 am to go duck hunting, snowboard trips, houseboat trips, concerts, and just hanging out was what we did for 20+ years. We kept the summer lake trip going for many years and it was always the highlight of the year. David had a tough exterior but a kind heart. He helped me through many difficult times and was there for most of the good ones. He was the best man in my wedding and truly was the best man. He will be greatly missed by myself and my family. He and his family will always be a part of my family. We love you so much David. Blue skies and tailwinds.

David was, I would say, my best friend in college at OSU.  It was a formative time in life and I have so many great memories of him, playing beach volleyball between the dorms, flying around Oklahoma together as pilots in training, and the summer we spent on the Outer Banks in North Carolina staying with his grandparents.  Later in college we both worked as flight instructors, and after I started dating one of my students (it was a different time, everyone was doing it) she switched to take instruction from David.  I am now 20 years married to that student, and she still says he was the better instructor.   

It's funny the memories we keep.  So many details about our time in college have faded away, but here is one that stays with me for some reason.  When the head of the aviation department at OSU asked David to walk his dog while he was out of town, I joined him for the walk one evening.  We started around the block and after a few minutes I said we should turn around, drop the dog back at his home, and get on with whatever social activity we had planned.  We started to turn around but the dog was stubborn and refused, obviously wanting to continue around the neighborhood on his usual path.  I suggested that we pick him up and carry him back.  David chose over my objection to take the extra 20 minutes to walk him around the full neighborhood and drop him off back at home, exercised and contented.  My guess is he wouldn't remember this, but that seemingly trivial memory has returned to me often over the last 20 years as a simple example of ethics, diligence, kindness, and just choosing to do the right thing when no one is looking.

David’s laugh and contagious smile will always be my favorite memory of him. While our hearts break here from the loss of his presence, we rejoice at his gain in eternal glory with our risen Savior, Jesus. May the peace of God which transcends all human understanding cover and surround you in this time of uncertainty. Know that we are praying for your comfort and healing.

We are so very sorry for your loss.  Our thoughts and prayers 🙏 are with you.  Mark and Gail Wagner

OBITUARY

David Lewis Hopper

18 July, 1981 – 11 April, 2025

Rollins Funeral Home

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