Doris Jean Powelll Hopper

MERIDIAN — Services for Doris Jean Powell Hopper will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. at Stephen’s Funeral Home Chapel, with the Revs. Paul Harris and Jamie Lamoreaux officiating. Burial will be in West Kemper Baptist Church Cemetery in Moscow.

Mrs. Hopper, 82, of Meridian died Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, at Regency Hospital. She was born on Aug. 10, 1930 in Estes. Her childhood was spent in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. She graduated valedictorian from DeKalb Attendance Center and with high honors from East Mississippi Community College. She was employed for 20 years with Mauk Forest Products as a timber buyer and for 15 years as a driver’s license examiner with the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

She married the love of her life, Albert Nelson Hopper, on Aug. 28, 1948. They had three children, six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, 13 stepgrandchildren and four stepgreat-grandchildren.

Mrs. Hopper was a member of Faith Baptist Church, where she served as a past Sunday School teacher and member of the senior adults.

She held a dual membership in the Chapter 11 Order of the Eastern Star and Grover Burnett Chapter #352, where she served as a past worthy matron and past grand-representative to the state of West Virginia.

Mrs. Hopper was an avid reader and enjoyed writing poetry and her autobiography. In addition, she loved gardening and achieved the status of master gardner. Her proudest accomplishment in her life was her three girls.

She is survived by daughters Carol Garrard and her husband, Edward, of Bailey, Rebecca Parker and her husband, Jim, of Collinsville, and Lanell Stallings, of Birmingham, Ala.; grandchildren, Tamara Cosgrove (Jason) of Bessemer, Ala., Barry Westbrook (Danielle) of Bailey, Shane Parker

( Rebekah) of Collinsville, Michelle Stallings Martin of Helena, Ala., and Shawn and Derrick Stallings, both of Alabaster, Ala.; stepgrandchildren, Dawn Cavanaugh (Judson) of Florence, Nicholas Webb of Meridian, Andrew Webb (Cathy) of Ellisville, Tonya Wood (Joe) of Meridian, Elizabeth McDaniel (Earl) of Bailey and Dee Sevier (Jeff) of Bailey; great-grandchildren, Caitlin “Dani” White of Tennessee, Chloe Martin and Nelson Martin, both of Alabama, Jackson Westbrook of Bailey, Logan and Addison Cosgrove, both of Alabama, and Kinleigh Parker of Georgia; stepgreat-grandchildren, Judson, Liam and John-Michael Cavanaugh, both of Mississippi; brother, Dewayne Powell of Brandon; sister-in-law, Maude Grant of Suqualena; brother-in-law, George Hopper (Joann) of Dalewood; and dear friend, Patsy Ratliff.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William R. Powell and Bettie Jane Fulton Powell.

Memorials may be made to Faith Baptist Church Building Fund or Chapter 11 Order of the Eastern Star.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, grandsons-in-law, Rusty Powell and Eric Waddell. Honorary pallbearers will be Bobby Stallings, Clarence Westbrook and Mark Webb.

Visitation will be today at 5 p.m. and one hour before services at the funeral home.