Shirley Evans Hopper

Shirley Evans Hopper of Tyler, passed away peacefully on February 28, 2026. Shirley was born on September 13, 1938, to Elmer Lee and Ella Mae Evans in Lexington, Texas. At age seven, Shirley’s family moved to Baytown, Texas, where she graduated from Robert E. Lee High School, and was a member of the Lee Brigadiers Drum and Bugle Corps. Shirley then earned an Associate’s Degree in Business at Lee College. In 1960, Shirley married her high school sweetheart, Bill Hopper, and moved to Austin, where Bill attended UT Austin. After Austin, they returned to Baytown for six years, where their children, Suzanne (Suzy) and Michael (Mike) were born. They moved to Tyler in 1968, where they remained (including 21 years commuting from a home on Lake Palestine). Shirley faithfully attended Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler from 1968 onward, was a charter member of the GABC handbell choir, and enjoyed working with several children’s choirs for a number of years, as music always meant so much to her. Shirley’s working career included working as a secretary in the EXXON Baytown Refinery, followed by the Defense Research Lab at the University of Texas in Austin (where she became an avid Longhorn fan), then as a legal secretary at Kiebler & Kiebler in LaPorte, Texas, and finally, her favorite as a Teacher’s Aide at Hogg Middle School, in the Tyler ISD, for fifteen years. Shirley’s happiest times were spent fishing with her grandson, Scott, watching him play high school and FSU lacrosse, and time spent with special friends playing bridge and mah jong. Shirley is predeceased by her parents, and survived by her loving family, including husband, Bill Hopper; her children, daughter Suzy Stickles (James) of Roswell, Georgia; and son, Mike Hopper (Christina) of Dallas; her beloved grandson, Scott Stickles of Tallahassee, Florida; her sister, Lori Laramore of Baytown, Texas; her sisters-in-law D’Alva Peterson and Linda Riley (Edgar) and numerous nieces and nephews, and cousins. Pallbearers will be Mike Hopper, Scott Stickles, James Stickles, Marc Downs, Robby Jannise, and Jason Riley. Honorary Pallbearers are Rick Taylor, Terry Cooper, Brian Conaway, Gary Tschoepe, Alan Beck, and Jim Powell. The family extends gratitude and special thanks to loving caregivers Tricia Eskeridge and Flossie Junior. If desired, memorials may be made to The Gideons International, P.O. Box 9884, Tyler, TX 75711, or to a charity of your choice. The family is having a small reception after the service at Love United Methodist Church, 712 Shilling Avenue, Baytown, TX.

Shirley Evans Hopper

September 13, 1938 - February 28, 2026