Marcelle Florence Hopper

WEATHERFORD -- On Friday, July 9, 2010, Marcelle Hopper of Weatherford, Texas passed from this earthly existence to an unimaginably better one with Christ. Marcelle was 86. Funeral: 2 p.m. Tuesday at North Side Baptist Church, 910 North Main Street, Weatherford. Interment: East Greenwood Cemetery. Family visitation: 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at White's Funeral Home, 130 Houston Ave., Weatherford. Marcelle Florence deLeleu Hopper was born Dec. 31, 1923, in Springtown, Texas, daughter of the late Maurice V. deLeleu and Donnie Lee Prather. Marcelle received her bachelor's degree in music from North Texas State Teachers College, now known as the University of North Texas, and her master's degree in education from Texas Christian University. Marcelle taught elementary music education in Weatherford for 42 years, while giving private piano lessons every day after school. Marcelle also played the organ at North Side Baptist Church for over 57 years. On July 3, 1948, Marcelle and Charles William Hopper were married and began their life together in Weatherford. For 61 years, Marcelle and Charles had a marriage and partnership that continually demonstrated their friendship, respect, commitment and love for one another in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse. Their approach to security would seem foreign in today's America. They saved one paycheck and invested the other. Innovation combined with frugality meant the family was never denied any need or opportunity of importance. Marcelle and Charles encouraged education, supported activities and provided travel throughout their sons' lives. It is through their efforts that Marcelle's vision for her sons came to light. Dr. Ken C. Hopper, age 51, graduated summa cum laude from Baylor University in Waco, TX, received his medical degree from University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX, completed his residency at Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, TX and recently received an MBA in a combined program from University of Texas at Dallas/Southwestern Medical School. He is the Chief Medical Officer/Vice President of Clinical Innovation at Life Synch, a Humana company. He is also the owner of a behavioral health specialty group and clinic, The Hopper Group, and currently lives in Fort Worth, TX. Charles "Dee" Hopper, Esq., age 43, is also a graduate of Baylor University, with a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's degree in business. He then received his law degree from Oklahoma City University and attended the master of law program at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He is a founding partner of the Law Offices of Lynch, Hopper & Salzano, LLP, and currently lives in Las Vegas, NV. Education and travel were continually of utmost importance to Marcelle. She combined the two every summer when she and Charles would take their two sons on a vacation across the country, mapping out their route so as to visit every possible historic venue along the way. Whether attending a world's fair or touring a presidential library, every trip was both educational and fun. Through this format, Marcelle and Charles were able to take the family to all 50 states in the Union, as well as Canada and Mexico. Finally, one of the crowning jewels in Marcelle's legacy has to be her promotion of and work regarding The Orphan Train Society. This society significantly attributed to the diversification of America by transferring orphans of all nationalities from impoverished conditions in the east to families throughout the south and the west. The impact of this society upon American history was such that it is now addressed in our children's textbooks, and specifically so due to the countless hours and days of research and writing by Marcelle. Marcelle will be tremendously missed by all those whose lives she touched, from the thousands o