RICHARD HOTOP

McCLURE, Ill. -- Richard Lewis Hotop, 31, of Route 1, McClure, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 1998, at Salt Peter Cave Park near Murphysboro.

He was born April 5, 1966, at Cape Girardeau, the son of Robert William and Mary Allyene Switzer Hotop.

He was baptized at St. Vincent's Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau. He graduated from Cape Central High School in 1984 and attended DeVry Technical Institute in Kansas City.

He was an assistant lead stocker at Wal-Mart Supercenter in Cape Girardeau and worked at Citgo in Jackson.

He is survived by his parents; two sons, Richard Lewis Hotop Jr. and Austin Cory, both of Jackson; a daughter, Nichole Marie Hotop of Jackson; two brothers, Robert Hotop Jr. of Cape Girardeau and Mark Andrew Hotop of Perryville; and two sisters, Gina Marie Hooper of Cape Girardeau and Barbara Hotop of Perryville.

He was preceded in death by a sister.

Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today at Cracraft-Miller Funeral Home in Jackson, with parish prayers at 7. Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Milton Ryan of St. Vincent's officiating. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.