Virginia Hime Hopper

Virginia Hime Hopper, age 87, resident of Bartlett, Tennessee and wife of the late Leon H. Hopper, departed this life Friday morning, June 7, 2024 at Methodist LeBonheur Germantown Hospital.

Virginia was born September 24, 1936 in Earle, Arkansas, the daughter of the late Briley Alford Hime and Della Maude Cordray Hime. She graduated from Rives High School in 1954 and was employed as an accountant for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Virginia was the first woman in the accounting series for the Memphis Corps of Engineers Office, the first woman to be Chief of the Audit Office, first woman on the Commander’s Staff and the first person to receive the Commander’s Award who was not an engineer – the highest award a Commander can issue.

She was married November 25, 1953 to Leon H. Hopper, who preceded her in death on January 5, 2017. She was a resident of Oakland, Tennessee for many years before moving to Bartlett. Virginia was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Lakeland and enjoyed sewing and gardening. She will be remembered for being a loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Mrs. Hopper is survived by her son, Stan Hopper (Melinda) of Cordova, TN; her daughter-in-law, Shand Hopper of Bartlett, TN; four grandchildren, Jennifer Fitzgibbon (John), Jessica May (Mickey), Justin Hopper (Callie) and Lauren Ritter (Cayce); and seven great-grandchildren, Liam Fitzgibbon, Ellie Fitzgibbon, Ava Fitzgibbon, Caleb Fitzgibbon, Palmer Hopper, Liliana Ritter and Lydia May.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Steve Hopper; three sisters, Peggy Taylor, Christine Denson and Betty Milner; and two brothers, Alfred Hime and James Hime.

Funeral Services for Mrs. Hopper were held at 12 noon Saturday, June 15, 2024 at St. Paul United Methodist Church with Rev. Brad Thomas officiating. Interment followed in Memphis Memory Gardens Cemetery.

Those honored to serve as pallbearers were members of Mrs. Hopper’s Sunday School Class. Honorary pallbearers were Bob Earley, Cory Koesterman, Gary Goldsmith and Jack Pearson.

The family requests that memorials be directed to St. Paul United Methodist Church, 2949 Davies Plantation Road, Lakeland, TN 38002.