Ernest James Hoppe Jr.

HOPPE, ERNEST JAMES JR. "JIM" of Grand Ledge Jim was born November 14, 1922 on the family farm near Clinton, MO to Ernest and Hallie(Marten) Hoppe. He passed away on 4 March 2006 at the home of his son James Hoppe of Lansing, after a long fight with cancer.He graduated from Clinton High School in May 1941 where he lettered in football. Immediatly after graduation he enlisted in the US Army. In 1942 he became an Aviation Cadet and in 1943 was awarded his Pilot Wings and commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant. He was assigned to the 8th Army Air Force, 379th Bomber Group, 527th Squadron, and on July 12, 1943 they were sent to Kimbolton, England. He was the co-pilot for a B-17 that they named Duffy's Tavern. Jim had flown 200 combat hours and 21 missions before his plane was shot down January 29, 1944 over Belgium. He was captured by the German Army and interred in Stalag Luft 1, Barth, Germany until the camp was liberated by the Russian Army in May 1945. He was awarded the following medals for his service, the American Campaign Service Medal, the Victory Medal, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the American Defense Service Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Service Medal. Following his return to the United States in 1945 he married Harriette Davis in Springfield, Missouri. They later divorced. He moved to Muskegon, Michigan during the 1950's and went to work for the General Telephone & Electric Company, where he met and married Helen Wiersma in 1959. He moved his family to Grand Ledge in 1967 and worked as a Line Supervisor for GT&E until his retirement in Jan 1983. Jim was a great lover of the outdoors and was a regular at the Ledge Meadows golf course. He was a member of the Grand Ledge Lion's club and was a Boy Scout Leader for many years. He was preceded in death by his father Ernest in 1962, wife Helen in 1996, brother Robert Hoppe in 1998, and mother Hallie in 2002. He is survived by sons, Marc Hoppe of Las Vegas, NV and James Hoppe of Lansing, MI, daughter Susan Hoppe of Virginia, MN, sisters Gwen Northington of Springfield, MO and Jeanne Richmond of Coeur d'Alene, ID, numerous nieces and nephews, and friends too great to number. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, March 8, 2006, 12:00 noon at Holihan-Atkin Funeral Home Grand Ledge, Reverand J. Alan Leach officiating. Military graveside services will follow at Fort Custer National Cemetery in Battle Creek. visiation Tuesday 6-8 pm . Contributions to Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Memorial Program P.O. Box 14301 Cincinnati, Ohio 45250-0301 in Jim's memory would be appreciated.

Ernest James Hoppe Jr.

November 14, 1922 - March 4, 2006