Rosemary Kathleen Hopper

Rosemary Kathleen Hopper, 73, of Sedalia, MO, passed away on Sunday, January 21, 2024, at Good Shepherd Care Center in Versailles, MO. She was born on August 21, 1950, in Evanston, IL, the daughter of Philip Clement Jeffers and Julia Eileen (Burke) Jeffers, who preceded her in death.

On May 1, 1976, in San Antonio, TX, she was united in marriage to Terry Lee Hopper, who preceded her in death on May 24, 2002.

Rosemary moved with her parents to Miami, FL, when she was five. She told her mother she wanted to be a nurse when she was 12 and never deterred from that path. She moved to Tallahassee to earn her BSN at Florida State University in 1973. She worked her first nursing job at Jackson Memorial Hospital back in Miami. Her next nursing job moved her to Denver, then San Antonio when she joined the Air Force, followed by Bitburg, West Germany for three years where she achieved the rank of Captain, and finished her time in the Air Force at Homestead Air Force Base in Miami. She then moved to Sedalia with her husband. She worked mainly in newborn nursery, pediatrics, and med/surg throughout her career. She used to say she was a nurse before, during, and after her military service. She loved helping people; she was a caretaker by trade, and it never stopped with her retirement.

She loved to travel, tulips, history, getting to know people, reading, swinging on the front porch, baking sugar cookies around the holidays, the ocean and the feeling of her feet in the sand, supported Florida State football, and most of all, she loved her grandchildren.

Rosemary is survived by four children, Jennifer Hopper of St. Peters, MO, John Hopper (Rebecca) of Sedalia, Jacquelyn Hopper of Sedalia, Jeremy Hopper (Sarah) of St. Peters, MO, a step-son, T.J. Zawacki (Sheila) Lorena, TX; six grandchildren, Andrew, Aubrey, Matthew, Emma, Lincoln, and Paige; sister-in-law, Jean Jeffers, brothers and sisters-in-law, Norm and Sharon Klein and Eric and Laura Hopper; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband and parents, Rosemary was preceded in death by two brothers, Philip and John Jeffers, a sister, Eileen (Jeffers) Jennings, and one brother-in-law, Francis Jennings.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at St. Vincent de Paul Parish at Sacred Heart Church, with Father Joe Corel officiating.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m., followed by the recitation of the rosary prior to the mass at the church.

Burial will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery with military honors conducted by the United States Air Force.

The urn bearer will be John Hopper.

Memorial contributions may be made to the family in the care of Rea Funeral Chapel.