Obituaries

Roberta Marjorie Jenkin

Roberta (Bobbi McNeel) Jenkin, 64, passed away Sept. 14, 2006, in Big Piney. She was born June 22, 1942, in Ogden, Utah.

A memorial funeral service was held Sunday Sept. 17, at 0 p.m. at Covill Funeral Home in Pinedale.

Burl Orvel Hoopes Jr.

A long-time educator and friend of our children passed away Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2006, from cardiac arrest. Burl Orvel Hoopes Jr. was retired from Sweetwater County School District Number 2, where he held positions of vice superintendent of schools and principal of Wilson Elementary School.

He had been part of this school district since 1976, retiring in 1991. Before coming to Green River, Burl started his calling in Lyman as a teacher of math and high school coach, and continued to mold the minds of our state’s young people. Burl had a unique ability to enrich the lives of all those he came in contact with. Students remember Principal Hoopes in the hallways either giving a high-five or an enthusiastic thumbs up. Burl always had flair in getting your attention, either by calling you for a foul in a basketball game or asking you to come to the principal’s office. He had a knack to drive you to do the right thing or encourage you to succeed in everything you tried.

Burl’s lifelong passion to educate and help any of our children, with a moments notice was an inspiration to all those that have or may call themselves educators.

Burl was born in Lyman on Aug. 10, 1932, to Burl Hoopes Sr. and Mildred Lamb Hoopes. He went to school and graduated from Carbon County High School in Price, Utah. In Price he met his future wife, Olive Sheets, to later be married in Sacramento, Calif., while they were both in the Air Force. They were married on May 9, 1952.

Burl was a veteran of the Korean War. After getting married, he attended and graduated from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City with a bachelor of science degree in education and he later received his master’s in mathematics.

Survivors include his wife Olive of Green River; two children: daughter Linda(Ted) Walker of Green River and son Lary (Julie) Hoopes of Big Lake, Minn.; four grandsons: Steve Walker of Casper, Devin Walker of Green River, Colby Sato of Honaunau, Hawaii, Justin Hoopes of Big Lake, Minn.; one sister, Dorothy Wilder of Marbleton and one brother, Jim Hoopes of Lyman.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters: Leona and Midge; and one brother, Reed.

Burl was an avid golfer and member of the Rolling Greens Country Club.

He loved his grandsons and family. He enjoyed the outdoors especially hunting and fishing, but mostly he was a sports fanatic, appreciating both men’s and women’s high school and collegiate sports. He could be seen roaming the visitors’ sidelines during every Green River Wolves High School football game, where he will truly be missed.

Burl was a referee and first-time inductee of the Wyoming Sports Officials Association Hall of Fame. He also had the talent to take the podium with passion at a moment’s notice and entertain any type audience.

He was involved in the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Masonic Lodge, Shriners, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and he headed up the DARE and Just Say No programs in the state of Wyoming.

Funeral services were conducted Monday, Sept.18 at the Green River High School Auditorium with Bishop Daryl Parker officiating. Interment was in Riverview Cemetery.

The family of Burl Orvel Hoopes Jr. respectfully suggests that donations in his memory be made to Fraternal Order of the Eagles No. 2350 Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1148, Green River, Wyo., 82935.