Susanne Hooper

Susanne Catlett Hooper died peacefully in Austin on November 2, 2014, following a beautiful life that began in Okemah, Oklahoma on October 7, 1927. She was the second daughter born to Eugene Newlon Catlett and Mary Board Catlett. The family moved to McAllen when Susanne was five years old, and when she was 14 they relocated to Austin where she graduated from Austin High School. Susanne attended the University of Texas and during her four years of college wrote for the Daily Texan, served as president of Tri Delt sorority, and was a member of Mortar Board and Phi Beta Kappa.

While at UT Susanne met the love of her life, Charles Jackson Hooper. They were married in 1951, and from this union their son, Charles Jackson Hooper, Jr, and daughter, Mary Hooper Bell, were born. Because Charles' career as a geologist caused him to travel extensively, the family lived all over the world: in New Mexico, Nevada, Canada, Puerto Rico, Iran and England. When they returned to the United States they settled in Houston in a house across the street from both her parents' house and the house of her beloved sister, Mary Gene, and her family.

The love of God, family and friends was the primary emphasis of Susanne's life, yet she always found time to volunteer in her community and church. She was a lifelong member of Tri Delt and held leadership positions in the alumni association and was president of Panhellenic in Houston. She also was a member of the Blue Bird Circle, The River Oaks Rose Club, PEO, and enjoyed being a docent at Bayou Bend. She worked tirelessly as a volunteer in her children's schools. Saint Luke's United Methodist Church was at the center of Susanne's life, and she was president of the, United Methodist Women, worked on the Altar Guild, and participated in the Susanna Wesley Bible Class and the Randy Smith Bible Class. Charles and Susanne received the Distinguished Life Award from St. Luke's for their years of service and loyalty to their church home.

Susanne was the ultimate good sport, and she was always game for anything Charles wanted to do. They went fishing on their second date and during their sixty years together they enjoyed countless hours fishing at their Bay house and in trout streams in Colorado and Wyoming. Charles was a good golfer, so she took up golf. They belonged to River Oaks Country Club, Austin Country Club and the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They traveled to every continent and visited over a hundred countries and found delight in every place and person they saw on their journeys.

Susanne was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and aunt who gave her family unconditional love, instilling in them the love of family and friends. She was the one of the sweetest, most giving persons to ever walk this earth. She was preceded in death by her parents, by Mary Gene Giles, her sister and best friend, and by her husband, Charles. She is survived by her son Jackson Hooper and his wife Janelle of Houston, and their children Charles Jackson Hooper III and Rebecca, and by her daughter Mary Bell and her husband Jerry of Austin and their children Julia and her husband Ryan Ambrose, John Charles Bell, and Molly Catlett Bell. She is also survived by her brother-in-law, James B. Giles, and her nieces and nephews Susan Giles, Jim Giles and wife Lisa and their children Jordan, Sarah and Blakely, and Anne Giles Jarvis and husband Tim and their children Mary Catherine and Lizzy. She also leaves behind the Hooper nieces and nephews who were dear to her heart.

Susanne spent the last two and a half years living at Westminster Manor in Austin. The family would like to express a special thanks to the nurses and staff there for the dedicated care and assistance they gave to her daily. The family is also grateful to the caregivers of the Halcyon Home agency who attended to Susanne with such loving hearts, especially Barb Widstrom, Judy Gilbert and Arlene Lantz.

To celebrate a life well lived, a memorial service will be held in Houston, Texas on Thursday, November 6, at 2:00 PM in the chapel of St. Luke's United Methodist Church, located in Houston at 3471 Westheimer Road. If desired, memorial contributions may be donated to these Houston charities: St. Luke's Methodist Church, the Nick Finnegan Counseling Center at St. Luke's, Literacy Advance of Houston or to the Brookwood Community, in Brookshire, TX.