Irving Hooper, 91
Posted: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 10:10 am
Irving R Hooper, 91, of Beaufort, died peacefully at his son’s home in Smyrna on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013.An active member of the Beaufort community for 37 years, he was much loved and respected. He was born on June 16, 1921, in South Lyon, Mich., and graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in chemistry. In 1944, he earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry at the University of Illinois. During the war years, Irving Hooper was instrumental in gathering the materials needed to mass produce penicillin. He worked for Bristol Laboratories in Syracuse, N.Y., for 30 years, retiring as the director of research. While there he led a team that developed kanamycin, an antibiotic designed to combat staph infections in hospitals and a derivative of that drug called amikacin, which was developed in the Bristol Laboratory in Tokyo, Japan. Following his move to Beaufort he continued to be active in the field for 10 more years by consulting and working part time as a chemist for Duke Marine Lab. Volunteer service was an important part of life for Irv and his late wife Nicki. He was one of the founding members of Carteret County Crossroads as well as past president, treasurer and newsletter editor. He and Nicki were also founding members of the Arts for the Hospital Committee. He was also a volunteer for Hope Mission, Habitat for Humanity and the Democratic Party. He was an accomplished photographer and enjoyed playing golf with his wife and family members.
Irv was preceded in death by Nicki, his loving wife of 68 years.
He is survived by their children, Tony Hooper and wife Norah of Fredericksburg, Va., Mark Hooper and wife Penny of Smyrna and Ann Hooper Hudson and husband Jim of Grapevine, Texas. Irv and Nicki had six grandchildren: Matthew Hooper and wife Cynthia, Jonathan Hooper and wife Erika, Catalina Hooper Markon and husband Kristian, Joseph Hooper and wife Rachel, Royal Hooper and Hillary Peninger and husband Robert; and five great-grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial is at 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Egbert Catholic Church with the Rev. Thomas R. Davis officiating. Interment will follow at Carteret Memorial Gardens, Beaufort.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home with a Christian Wake Service at 6:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Union of Concerned Scientists, 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge, Mass. 02138-3780; Medical Mission Sisters, 8400 Pine Road, Philadelphia, Pa. 19111; or Carteret County Crossroads, P.O. Box 155, Beaufort, N.C. 28516.
Arrangements are by Brooks Funeral Home and Crematory Inc. of Morehead City. Access online obituary and Internet condolences through www.brooksfuneralhomeandcrematory.com.
He is survived by their children, Tony Hooper and wife Norah of Fredericksburg, Va., Mark Hooper and wife Penny of Smyrna and Ann Hooper Hudson and husband Jim of Grapevine, Texas. Irv and Nicki had six grandchildren: Matthew Hooper and wife Cynthia, Jonathan Hooper and wife Erika, Catalina Hooper Markon and husband Kristian, Joseph Hooper and wife Rachel, Royal Hooper and Hillary Peninger and husband Robert; and five great-grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial is at 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Egbert Catholic Church with the Rev. Thomas R. Davis officiating. Interment will follow at Carteret Memorial Gardens, Beaufort.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the funeral home with a Christian Wake Service at 6:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Union of Concerned Scientists, 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge, Mass. 02138-3780; Medical Mission Sisters, 8400 Pine Road, Philadelphia, Pa. 19111; or Carteret County Crossroads, P.O. Box 155, Beaufort, N.C. 28516.
Arrangements are by Brooks Funeral Home and Crematory Inc. of Morehead City. Access online obituary and Internet condolences through www.brooksfuneralhomeandcrematory.com.
