Rating: 0 out of 5 stars
0 ratings
Loading
GH![]()
author
Gordon L. Hooper
Gordon Hooper’s Biography
Gordon L Hooper was born on August 25, 1927, in a two room adobe house, in Lovington, New Mexico. His parents, Marven and Emma (Love) Hooper were the children of homestea...view moreGordon Hooper’s Biography
Gordon L Hooper was born on August 25, 1927, in a two room adobe house, in Lovington, New Mexico. His parents, Marven and Emma (Love) Hooper were the children of homesteaders who settled land in northeastern Lea County, New Mexico in the early 1900’s.
When Gordon was 14 months old, his father hired out to be a ranch foreman for “Uncle” John Scharbauer and Millard Eidson, and on October 1, 1930 they moved Marven’s family to their 50 section ranch at Judkins, Texas in southwest Ector County.
In the summer of 1937, Gordon’s father established his own business “Hooper’s Clay,” and the family of four including a baby girl (Marvelee) moved to Goldsmith, Texas. In the summer of 1943, the family of five which now had a 2nd son (Sammy) moved to Kermit, Texas for one year.
In 1944, Gordon’s family moved back to the Scharbauer and Eidson ranch at Judkins, Texas. Gordon was 15 years old and was a sophomore at Odessa High. When school began in the fall of that year, Gordon didn’t know it, but from that time forward his education would be twofold. When a “ranch kid” gets home from school, he changes his clothes and helps with the ranch chores which include Saturdays and Sundays.
After Gordon graduated from Odessa High in 1947, he worked full time on the ranch for two years. The work included breaking young horses raised on the ranch; during the hard winters he was responsible for feeding the cattle using a team of mules to pull the wagon filled with feed.
The Hooper family moved to Crane County, Texas in 1949 and established the Ranch House Grocery on Highway 1233. Gordon married Nita Rhodes on March 17, 1950 and to this union was born four children; Danny, Steve, Judy, and Paul. During the Korean War, Gordon served in the United States Air Force located at the Amarillo Air Force Base. He was an instructor of jet mechanics on the B-47 Bomber.
Gordon attended the West Texas Barber College in Amarillo, Texas and after his discharge, he and Nita returned to Crane, Texas. Gordon barbered in Crane for 44years and served as a Crane County Commissioner for 12 years. On January 1, 2001, he retired from both occupations.
To occupy his time, he began to research the early history of Crane County and as a results, this history book was written.
Gordon L. Hooper
Age: 82
12/26/2011view less