Huntington, Oregon
Julius Roland Hopper, 80, of Huntington died Aug. 28, 2004, at his home.
There will be a potluck to celebrate his life from 11 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall at Huntington
Julius was born on July 3, 1924, at Weiser, Idaho, to Ira Melvin Bogue and Elizabeth Avaline Queen Hopper. In 1925, the family moved to their “Lost Watch Ranch” in the Mountain View district, 20 miles out of Huntington. To attend high school, Julius moved in with the Sumner family in Ontario, on the Oregon Slope, and worked for his room and board on their farm.
The Sumner family loved Julius so much they wished they could adopt him as their own. He had just started his sophomore year when he had to return home to help take care of the family ranch. In 1950, Julius moved to the other family ranch at Durkee. He lived at Durkee until 1965, when he moved to Huntington.
In 1978, he married Pattie Mitchell. For 35 years, he worked as an independent mail carrier on the Snake River and Malheur area route for the U.S. Postal Service. On his route, he was never a stranger. He loved visiting his clients.
He enjoyed people and made friends everywhere he went. Every year he enjoyed attending the “Hopper” reunion where lots of stories were told.
Even as a child, Julius was the family hunter. He was a hunter way beyond most hunters. Julius was extremely successful and was also kind enough to help teach others how to hunt.
He enjoyed telling stories to everyone about these hunting stories. Over the years he had collected animal traps and an extensive library of hunting books. Julius was a gun dealer and collector and always had to show his guns and traps to everyone who came to his home to visit.
Survivors include his wife, Pattie Hopper of Coos Bay; his sons Gary Hopper of Boise and Roger Hopper of Florida; his daughter, Janice Heiland of Gainesville, Fla.; grandsons, Jason Hopper, Andrew Hopper, Adolf Heiland, and Shawn Haskins; granddaughters, Tiffany Hopper, Julena Hixon, and Kalie Hopper; great-grandchildren, Garrett Haskins and Meghan Hixon; sisters, Franciene Leigh, Eleanor Strickland and Mary Lin Hundley; brothers, Eldon Hopper and Calvin Hopper; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ira and Elizabeth; his brother, Vyron Hopper; and his sister, Laura Beth Sankey.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Huntington Ladies Sorority through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, September 14, 2004
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor