Jess Hopple Sr.

Jess David Hopple Sr., 70, of Cape Girardeau died Sunday, Oct. 23, 2005, at Saint Francis Medical Center.

He was born May 14, 1935, in Poplar Bluff, Mo., son of Roy V. and Thelma E. Branch Hopple. He and Freida Melton were married Dec. 24, 1954, at Charter Baptist Church in DeSoto, Mo.

Mr. Hopple was a retired executive with Ford Motor Co., general superintendent-operations manager, retired mediator and arbitrator consultant. He was a member of Cape First Church, 32nd Degree Mason, member of Scottish and York Rites, Cape Shrine Club, Moolah Temple, and board member of Mid-America Teen Challenge and Salvation Army.

He was a past master of St. Mark's Lodge 93, past president and board member of Missouri Veterans Home, past secretary of Eastern Star, and past grand royal patron of Amaranth of Missouri.

Mr. Hopple was a veteran of the Korean Conflict.

Survivors include his wife, Freida Hopple of Cape Girardeau; two sons, Jess Hopple Jr. of Potosi, Mo., John Hopple of Mooresville, N.C.; two daughters, Lugenia Lynn Hopple and Julie Marie Hopple of Cape Girardeau; a brother, Robert Hopple of DeSoto; a sister, Mildred Ann Hutching of Viburnum, Mo.; six grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. A prayer service will be held at 6:45, led by the Rev. Gary brothers, followed by a Masonic service at 7.

A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Woodlawn Memorial Park in DeSoto, with the Rev. David Hopkins officiating.

Memorials may be made to Mid-America Teen Challenge, Cape Girardeau, Mo.