Donald N. Hopper

Donald N. Hopper, age 85, of Shelby, passed away Wednesday, May 15, 2019 in Grand Rapids.  He was born December 14, 1933 in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, the son of Frank and Marjie (Alexander) Hopper.

Donald married Barbara Pelkey on June 3, 1961.  They lived in Westland, Michigan from 1961 to 1967 and then moved to Grand Rapids where they lived for thirty-seven years.  They moved to their home on Lake Michigan west of Shelby in 2004.

Don served with the United States Marine Corp from 1953 to 1956.  He graduated from Michigan Technological University in 1960.  His career as a civil engineer involved many different positions, among them were his  work on the building of the Mackinac Bridge, work for the Army Corps of Engineers, field engineer at Portland Cement Association,  and part-owner of Grand Rapids Testing Service.  In the mid 1980's he started DNH Consultants, Inc. and later started a new firm called Hopper/Sheeran, Inc.  Don worked for STS Consultants as a senior project engineer from 2000-2009 before retiring.  

He was a member of St. John The Baptist Catholic Church in Claybanks.  Don enjoyed reading, computers,  engineering and architecture.  He was a Detroit Red Wings fan and enjoyed  weekly breakfast meetings with a group of Marines in Pentwater and enjoyed fellowship with the Trinity Lutheran Men's Club.  He will be deeply missed by his family and all who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; his children, Diane (Phil) Tower of Cedar Springs, Christopher (Laurel) Hopper of Kalamazoo, Donald (Michele) Hopper of Kalamazoo and Catherine (Chad) Nyboer of Wyoming, Michigan; grandchildren, Colin (Melissa) Hopper, Cameron Hopper, Emily Hopper, Michaela Zaenglein, Alayne, Kyle and Cole Nyboer;  brother, Robert (Cindy) Hopper of Sault Ste Marie; sister, Sharon (Tom) Howard of California; and many nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Herbert and Wayne and sisters, Frances and Elizabeth.

Visitation is Thursday, June 6th, 4-7 pm at Harris Funeral Home in Shelby.  A Memorial Mass will be held Friday, June 7th, 11 am at St. John The Baptist Church, 6825 S. 50th Avenue, Montague, MI  with Father Peter Omogo as Celebrant.  Interment will be in St. John The Baptist Catholic Cemetery. Please consider the Crystal Valley Care Fund P.O. Box 451, Hart, MI 49420 or the Grand Rapids Griffins Youth Foundation, 130 Fulton Street NW, Suite 111, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 as a memorial.

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