Matt was born on February 3rd, 1956, in Kansas City, Missouri, to Stuart Leon Hoops and Francis (McGriff) Hoops, each of whom sadly passed away when Matt was still a child. Initially taken in by his aunt, Jean Jopling, and then grew up under the care of Chuck and Eloise McIntire, who welcomed him as their own. He graduated from Oak Park High School in 1974 and briefly attended college before joining the Army.
Afterward, Matt then married the love of his life, Karen Sue Maddox, in 1980, with whom he would remain for the rest of his life. He would then go on to begin his long career for the City of Gladstone, where he humbly served his community as the Parks and Recreation Supervisor for nearly three decades, eventually being named Employee of the Year in 2010 before enjoying a well-deserved retirement in 2017.
His immense love for Karen was so profoundly important to him until the day he passed away. He and Karen wasted no time in starting a family, and the couple welcomed three sons, Cameron, Robert, and Jason into the world, with each of whom Matt instilled his quiet integrity and moral strength of character as he raised them.
Matt had a deep love of sports and the outdoors, and he coached his sons in baseball and basketball before establishing his profoundly impactful little league football organization, the Wildcats, through Pop Warner Football, which would blossom over the years to include dozens of teams for numerous age groups, cheer squads, and a loyal crew of parental volunteers to coach, fundraise, and assist in and all sorts of other tasks. He eventually became the Pop Warner Regional Vice President and was awarded National Volunteer of the Year in 2010 alongside his wife, Karen, who was also awarded that year for her steadfast loyalty in running executive administrative tasks for the program alongside her husband. Though Matt had three children of his own, through his football program Matt would go on to be looked up to as a cherished father figure and mentor to countless children in the community. His children remember him as a gentle, wise, and jovial dad who encouraged them to fulfil their dreams, to stand for what is good, and to nurture a friendship with God.
Matt personally enjoyed fishing and boating at the Lake of the Ozarks, golf with his best friend and brother-in-law, Jim Flack, proudly caring for his swimming pool, vacationing to Mexico with his loved ones, traveling to Palm Springs, California bi-annually to visit sister-in-law, Debbie, and listening to and quizzing his sons about classic rock; he made sure to crank the volume to eleven whenever he heard Free Bird’s guitar solo. Matt Hoops was a kind-hearted man who loved his big family.
Matt is preceded in death by his father, Leon (Stuart); his mother, Francis; uncle, Chuck; and aunt, Eloise who raised him after his parents died; in-laws; Ralph and Louise Maddox; brothers-in-law, Garry Hardy, Joe Rembolt, Ed Schott, and Herb Stockdale; and sisters-in-law, Clara Maddox and Judy Schott.
Matt is survived by his loving wife, Karen; his children, Cameron (Nicole) Hoops, Robert Hoops, and Jason (Sara) Hoops; and sister, Jerell Hardy. He is also survived abundantly by his grandchildren, Nic, Matthew Dylan, Lincoln, Layla, and Cami Hoops, who were born to Cameron and Nicole, Remy Stuart and Simon Hoops, who were born to Robert and ex-wife, Megan, and Avery Hoops, born to Jason and Sara.
Matt established a large and loving family to carry on his legacy of goodwill. We mourn his loss but rejoice that he is finally with his parents again.
In lieu of or in addition to flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the National Alliance for Children’s Grief at nacg.org/donate, or The Halo Foundation at haloworldwide.org.
