READING – Mr. Edmond Louis "Ed" Hopper, 91, of Reading, MA, loving husband of the late Barbara E. (Shinn) Hopper, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 13, 2024, in the comfort of his home, with his family by his side.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, Ed was the only child born to Edmond and Marie (Murphy) Hopper. He was raised and educated in Newark, attending Catholic school in his early education, Seton Hall Preparatory School, and Seton Hall University where he earned his bachelor's degree.

After military service as an MP in Korea, Ed began a lifelong career in the insurance industry.  Ed started at the bottom, selling policies door-to-door in New Jersey for the Allstate Company.

Perhaps the best stroke of luck of Ed's life came in 1957, when a friend from his military days called and asked him to be the best man at his wedding. It was there that Ed met his future wife, Barbara Shinn. Despite being turned down when he asked her out on a date, Ed was smitten. His instincts told him not to give up. Through gentle persistence he was able to change "no" into "yes". In October 1959, "yes" became "I do," beginning a marriage that lasted 60 years.

Ed's skills and strong work ethic resulted in promotions and success in his chosen field. He worked for Allstate and then Travelers before starting a long tenure with Commercial Union, where he was hired as the head of Internal Audit. His daily commutes to the office at One Beacon Street in Boston were made more pleasurable knowing that he had the best parking space in the garage - Commercial Union was so intent on hiring Ed that the President of the company ensured that this perk was included. Along with the job changes came relocations and a growing family: in New Jersey, Mark was born; onward to Illinois, whence came Doug and then Liz. Following four years in Connecticut, Ed and Barbara put down permanent roots in Massachusetts in 1974. After more than forty years in Boxford, they said goodbye to the big house that had been so perfect for raising a family and moved into a condominium in Reading, close to Liz and her family, where they spent the rest of their years.

Inspired at an early age by his mother's love of music, Ed learned to play the piano. This talent served him well in college, as playing in local bars was one of the many jobs he held down to pay his tuition. His love of music was wide-ranging, from Opera (his favorite was Die Fledermaus), to Big Band (he was a fan of Glenn Miller and His Orchestra), to Neil Diamond, who Ed and Barbara saw in concert whenever he was performing within reasonable driving distance.

Ed and Barbara were also lovers of musical theater, bringing the family into Boston for dinner at favorite restaurants Marliave, Locke-Ober's, or the Parker House before a show to make it a special night on the town. They also became patrons of the North Shore Music Theater, looking forward to each season's offerings.

Although Ed had played baseball for Seton Hall Prep and occasionally got tickets for the Bruins, Celtics and Red Sox, his true loyalty was to the New England Patriots. In the 1970s, committing to season tickets for the Pats required a level of devotion bordering on religious faith, but he was rewarded years later when he got to attend the 1986 Super Bowl with Mark, and to see them actually win in the Belichick era. Ed was a Patriots season ticket holder from 1975 - 2022. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of football rules and regulations, and would always amaze those seated around him in the stadium as he explained an obscure rule before the ref even called it in the mic.

Within a few years of moving to Boxford, the Hopper family became members of Trinity Church in Topsfield. As well as forging lifelong friendships among the congregants, Ed and Barbara held various positions of service in the church. Ed was a member of the vestry, served as a Lay Eucharistic Minister, and was the treasurer for many years after his retirement from the insurance business.

Ed enjoyed socializing, and he and Barbara loved to go out to lunch or dinner with friends. Ed also loved the weekly breakfast with the men's group from church. For many years Ed also enjoyed twice-yearly trips to Nantucket with another group of friends for surf fishing.

Above all, Ed loved his family. He was a devoted husband to Barbara, and was crazy about his children and grandchildren. Ed shared a love of sports with Mark, a love of movies with Doug, and a love of music with Liz. He was so proud of all of his grandchildren's accomplishments. Ed also felt particularly lucky with the addition to his family of his daughter-in-law, Catherine, and his son-in-law, Paul, as he believed that they were not only the perfect matches for his respective children, but they were people he dearly loved and enjoyed spending time with. Ed was never happier than when he was surrounded by his family.

Surviving Ed are his children, Mark Hopper and his wife, Catherine, of Danville, CA; Doug Hopper of San Francisco, CA; and Liz Whitelam and her husband, Paul, of Reading, MA; his beloved grandchildren, Lauren Hopper, Bryce Hopper, and Lucy Whitelam. ARRANGEMENTS: Relatives and friends are invited to attend Ed's funeral service which will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 124 River Road, Topsfield on Saturday, July 27th at 11:00 A.M. Visiting hours will be held at O'Donnell Cremations – Funerals – Celebrations, 167 Maple St., (rte. 62) DANVERS on Friday, July 26th from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ed's memory may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church, 124 River Road, Topsfield, MA 01983. To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com.