M. Hooper

M. Dale Hooper, 85, a longtime resident of Lake Jackson, Prince William County, Virginia died on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 of Alzheimer's Disease at the Manassas Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Mr. Hooper, who was born in Maryville, Missouri, attended Northwest Missouri State College (now University). He moved to Washington, D.C. in January of 1942, to take a position at the War Department, now the Department of Defense. He then accepted an assignment to the Royal Australian Air Force Office in Washington, D.C., followed by a post at the Association of American Railroads before beginning a twenty-five year career on Capital Hill. A long and distinguished record of public service followed. He served as speech writer, legislative and administrative assistant to the Honorable Grace Post, Congresswoman from Idaho;The Honorable Bruce Alger, Congressman from Texas; and the Honorable Hugh L. Carey, Congressman from New York. His final position, from which he retired in 1978, was legislative and administrative assistant to The Honorable Romano L. Mazzoli, Congressman from Louisville, Kentucky. A graduate of George Washington University, Mr. Hooper always maintained a demanding agenda of volunteer and civic service which became ever more varied and extensive after retirement. A lifelong musician, he was proficient on numerous musical instruments, including piano, organ and marimba. In his earlier years here, he served as a professional organist at various churches in the Washington, D.C. area and was a member of the Potomac Valley Theatre Organ Society, His keen interest in American music, led him and Bill Mastbrook to found the Northern Virginia Ragtime Society, of which he was president for twenty years. During Mr. Hooper's tenure in office he was highly influential in securing a postage Stamp in memory of the great ragtime composer and pianist Scott Joplin. The stamp was issued in 1983. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Manassas Community Concert Association. Moving to Prince William County also provided Mr. Hooper with the opportunity actively to pursue another lifelong interest: the showing, breeding and development of purebred collies. A close friend, Anice Terhune, widow of the late Albert Payson Terhune, known world wide for his work with collies at Sunnybank, Pompton Lakes, New Jersey and author of numerous books, about collies such as Lad, A Dog, provided great encouragement. On 1 September 1961, Messrs Hooper and Mastbrook founded Colliehaven Kennel. For thirty years, Mr. Hooper was active in many organizations that promoted the development of the breed; he was a lifelong member of the Collie Club of America and was instrumental in founding the local all-breed organization, the Mattaponi All Breed Club. In the late 1960's, Colliehaven added a second breed, the newly imported Dutch dog, the Keeshond, to the Kennel. Soon, Mr. Hooper had become a member of the Board of Directors of the American Keeshond Society. Nor did Mr. Hooper's interest in civic affairs wane. With Mr. Mastbrook, he co-founded the Prince William County Committee of 100, a nationally recognized organization sponsoring non-partisan discussion of local, state, and national issues through a program of monthly meetings, prominent speakers, and interchange of ideas. He was recently honored by a certificate of lifetime membership. Not having forgotten his many years in Washington, Mr. Hooper was a member of the Association of the Oldest Inhabitants of the District of Columbia. His activities continued to be characterized by his enthusiasm for research into new areas of study. A member of the International Association of Near Death Studies, in 1990, he helped to organize and administer a 300-participant global conference of the organization at Georgetown University. Mr. Hooper will be long respected and remembered by his many friends and associates. His surviving relatives include a niece Janet Rath and her husband, Steve of Los Banos, California and by a cousin Betty Beason and her husband, Paul of Pleasant Hill, Missouri. Other relatives surviving include a grand-Niece, Jalene John of Paso Robles, California and a grand-nephew, Tyler Rath of Visalia, California. He is also survived by his friend and companion of 48 years, Mr. William H. Mastbrook. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, September 18, 2007 from 2:00 PM -4:00 PM and 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM at Pierce Funeral Home, 9609 Center Street, Manassas, Virginia. Graveside Services will be held at 1:00 PM Wednesday, September 19, 2007 at the Mt. Zion Cemetery in Bethesda, Maryland. Condolences may be sent to www.piercefh.com

M. Hooper

January 14, 1922 - September 12, 2007