Lawrence Burton Hoppes, Larry to his friends and family, was born June 18, 1944, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. After a hard-fought battle against cancer, he passed on October 21, 2020.
Larry was man who lived life to its fullest. He lived much of his young life in Boonville, California, graduating in 1962. In 1963, he married the love of his life, Betty, and they began their adventures. Married for over 57 years, they have two children and two grandchildren. While living in Berlin, Germany, in the early 1970s, weekends were filled with dirt track stock car racing. From his earliest years, Larry was an avid San Francisco 49ers fan, win or lose. For over 40 years, they raised their children and enjoyed life in Alamogordo, where they could be found cheering on the Alamogordo Tiger soccer teams and traveling to any place there might be a game, attending performances at the schools, volunteering at the Cancer Center, and supporting the Grace United Methodist Food Pantry.
Larry, a patriot in every sense of the word, gave 23 years of service to the US Air Force, nearly 10 of them at Holloman Air Force Base. After retiring in 1986, he went on to serve as Range Manager for the Department of Defense, managing Oscura and Red Rio Ranges, and was instrumental in the building of Centennial Range. His 20-year service with the Department of Defense was marked with great accomplishment and much professional satisfaction. He retired after 20 years of service.
He was a man who loved a good fishing trip! It was never if he would go fishing, but when. From catfish in Oklahoma as a boy to lakes and rivers across the West, Larry even had the opportunity to catch “the big one” in Alaska in 2018. His love of fishing was infectious and he often enjoyed those moments with his son, Eric, grandson, Adam, and son-in-law, Kevin. He loved the Fisherman’s Prayer:
I pray that I may live to fish Until my dying day.
And when it comes to my last cast, I then most humbly pray:
When in the Lord’s great landing net
And peacefully asleep
That in His mercy I be judged Big enough to keep.
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Larry was a remarkable dad. Whether he was coaching soccer or coming to choral concerts he was an amazing cheerleader and exceptionally proud of the accomplishments of his children, Schotzie and Eric. His greatest joy, however, was in the role of Papa to his beautiful grandchildren Sarah and Adam. Sarah, a remarkable artist, found her greatest fan in her Papa. Whenever he was able to get his hands on an original work, he was quick to brag to anyone who would listen. He loved anything she created! Adam, his partner in all things fun, was his Bud. After Larry’s retirement, when Adam was very little, they would always find projects together. “Don’t we have a job, Papa?” was a favorite refrain. In recent months, that shared bond was solidified over Adam’s new pick-up and a deep passion for fishing, even if Adam caught more fish than them all. Larry loved his family beyond measure.
Larry is survived by his loving wife, Betty, their children and spouses, Cherron “Schotzie” and Kevin Davis of Larkspur, Colorado, and Eric and Erin Hoppes of Alamogordo, New Mexico, and their wonderful grandchildren Adam Hoppes of Alamogordo and Sarah and Micheal Isbel of Surprise, Arizona. Also, his brother Gary Hoppes of Oregon and Beverly Ann Rohn of Arkansas. He was proceeded in death by his father, Edmond Burton Hoppes, and his mother Beverly Ann Hauk.
Memorial service plans are pending given social distancing requirements and will be announced for a future date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the Grace United Methodist Food Pantry in his memory.
The Hoppes family has entrusted their loved one to the care of Alamogordo Funeral Home.
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