Born on April 15, 1926, he was the son of World War I veteran William Joseph Holt and his wife Mayme (Ford) Holt. Hooper, his brother, Tom, and sisters, Aileen, Janice, Josephine, and Irene, grew up in the close-knit New Prospect community in the mountains of East Tennessee. In the spring of 1944, Hooper, a Cosby High School senior, was drafted into the Army and served in the European Theatre during WWII. Arriving in Nancy, France after the Battle of the Bulge, Hooper pushed across Germany and into Austria with the 42nd Rainbow Division, participating in the Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns and the liberation of Dachau concentration camp. Following his discharge from the Army, Hooper returned home, but later re-enlisted in the Air Force and served in the Korean War.
During his time at home, Hooper worked for Carolina Power & Light after completing electrical training in Knoxville, Tennessee. In 1957, Hooper met and married Lillian Cynthia Ford. Lillian’s life work was raising their son, Chuck, and supporting her husband’s military career. Their incredible 60-year marriage was an amazing example to all who knew them.
After retirement from the Air Force In 1967, Hooper and Lillian moved to Augusta, Georgia where Hooper worked as an instructor for the United States Army Signal Corps at Fort Gordon. After retiring from the Army civil service in 1987, Hooper volunteered for the Red Cross for twenty-five years, work he truly loved because of the number of people he was able to encourage and support.
A faithful Christian, Hooper and Lillian were members of Hillcrest Baptist Church for many years. The church looked to Hooper for leadership, and he accepted. At Hillcrest he was chairman of church deacons and chairman of the education committee for Hillcrest School for twenty years. Hooper was also a long-time member of Richmond Masonic Lodge in Hephzibah, Georgia.
Hooper loved all of life. He was an enthusiastic fan of Tennessee Volunteer football and the Atlanta Braves. He loved the game of golf and looked forward each spring to his role as a gallery guard on the 6th hole at the Masters Golf tournament. Hooper could always tell an entertaining story and family members loved to listen.
Hooper Holt did all things with fairness, dignity, and a sense of humor. But most of all he was a constantly loving and supportive husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, mentor, and friend. He will be terribly missed.
Hooper was preceded in death by his wife, Lillian Cynthia Ford Holt; parents, Joseph and Mayme Holt; sisters, Aileen Williamson, Josephine Kauffman; infant sister, Shirley Holt; and brother/sister-in-law, Johnny and Lagatha Holt. Hooper is survived by his son, Charles (Chuck) Roe Holt; daughter-in-law, Gina Nickole Holt; and beloved grandchildren Lillian Katherine and Jace Allen, all of Ringgold, Georgia. He is also survived by siblings, Thomas Holt (Judy), Janice Canan, Irene Hance (Gary), and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will be held at 1pm on Monday, October 2, 2023 at Hillcrest Baptist Church. The family will receive friends one hour prior at the church. Interment will follow the service at Westover Memorial Park.
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