Sr. Jean Hopper

Obituary Sister Jean (Mary Dennis) Hopper, OP died peacefully on December 29, at St. Joseph Residence in Seattle following a long struggle with MS. She was born on July 23, 1930 in Seattle to Fred and Sarah Hopper. Her parents, her brother Father Patrick Hopper, SJ and her sister Theresa Hopper McGatlin predeceased her. She is survived by her brother, William, nieces and nephews and cousins. Sister Jean entered the Dominican Sisters on June 20, 1948 and made her first profession on January 8, 1950. She would have celebrated 60 years of religious profession on January 8, 2010. She earned a BA at Central Washington State College in Ellensburg, an MA in History from Seattle University, and two two-year degrees: one from Pierce College to become an animal technician and one from Seattle University in Drug/Alcohol Studies. She also studied at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. Her teaching assignments included Assumption, Bellingham; St. Hyacinth's, San Jacinto, CA; St. Vincent's, San Diego; St. Patrick, Tacoma; Lourdes Academy, Ellensburg; St. Edward, Seattle; St. Mary's, Centralia, Yakima Central Catholic High School, Yakima; Blanchet High School, Seattle, Holy Cross, Tacoma; Aquinas Academy, Tacoma, Marymount Academy, Tacoma and Bellarmine High School, Tacoma. After many years in the classroom, Sister Jean worked for six years at the Pacific Avenue Veterinary Clinic in Tacoma; at the Hospitality Kitchen at St. Leo's Parish in Tacoma; for Children's Protective Services, Tacoma, at a local tutoring center in Tacoma; and as a volunteer working with teens impacted by drugs and alcoholism. According to an article on her in the July 26, 1981 issue of The News Tribune, Sister Jean's dream was "to open an alcohol treatment center for youth. She hopes to ... work part time at local schools. ‘If you just save one, it's worth all the effort,' she said." Sister Jean loved teaching especially high school students. She was a fierce advocate for the oppressed and like St. Francis she loved animals. Always an active person, the onset of MS was unexpected and over the years became more limiting for her. However, Sr. Jean did not let MS hold her back. Until she moved to St. Joseph Residence, she resided at the Kensington Assisted Living Apartments in Tacoma for several years. Services for Sister Jean will include a Vigil on January 6, at 7:00 PM at St. Joseph Residence (4800 37th Ave. SW, Seattle) with the Mass of Christian Burial on January 7, at 11:00 AM at St. Joseph Residence. Burial will be on January 7, at 3:00 PM at Calvary Cemetery, Tacoma. Memorial donations may be made to the Dominican Sisters Retirement Fund, 935 Fawcett Ave. S, Tacoma, WA 98402. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home. For the full obituary go to www.gaffneycares.com.