Mary Lou Hopson, 76, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014, at Trinity Hospital in Wolf Point.
Lou was the third of four children, born Feb. 18, 1938, to Oscar and Pauline (Park) Poyser in Harlan County, Neb. She graduated high school in Almena, Kan., in 1955, and from Brown Mackie School of Business in Salina, Kan.
In 1956, she met the love of her life, Harry Hopson, and they were married a year later in Almena. Lou and Harry moved to Wolf Point in 1957 and stayed for one year before Harry entered the Air Force. They were stationed at Williams AFB in Chandler, Ariz., where their first son David was born in 1958. After Harry’s honorable discharge, the family moved back to Wolf Point to make a permanent home, where they welcomed three more children, Kelly, Douglas, and Tasha.
Lou worked for nearly 20 years at Faith Lutheran Home, starting as a physical therapy assistant and retiring as an assistant administrator. After her retirement, she kept busy as a substitute teacher at Southside School. Throughout this time, she was active in the Montana Veterinary Medical Association Auxiliary, Girl Scouts, 4-H, First Presbyterian Church, and Senior Citizens’ Center.
A devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, Lou followed all her children and grandchildren to their sporting events and activities across the state. She enjoyed crossword puzzles, bridge, entertaining, cooking, and baking. Lou often said that if you left her house hungry, it was your own fault. Lou was also an avid golfer who shared her love of the sport with family and friends. Her crowning achievement in the sport was shooting a hole-in-one at the Airport Golf Club with Harry as her witness.
Lou was preceded in death by her parents, her son, David; her husband of 50 years, Harry; and special friends Louie and Tana Dubbe. She is survived by her daughter Kelly (Jerry) Doornek of Glasgow; son Douglas (Nancy) Hopson of Wolf Point; daughter Tasha (Zane) Stiner of Cut Bank; sister Angie (Arlen) Butterfield of Kearney, Neb.; brother Keith (Delores) Poyser of Orleans, Neb.; brother Kenneth (Darlene) Poyser of Manhattan, Kan.; daughter-in-law Sharon McGee of Baton Rouge, La.; ten grandchildren, Erin, Chris, and Tyler Hopson; Nate and Erica Doornek; Shanna, Kelsey, and David Hopson; Kenzie and Kodee Stiner; and one great-grandchild, Beckett Doornek.
Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, December 9 at the Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel in Wolf Point. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, December 10 at the Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel in Wolf Point. Condolences can be made online at www.claytonstevensonchapel.com.