Raymond M Hooper Jr.

Quiet, reserved and logical are trademark qualities that friends and family might use to describe Ray Michael Hooper, Jr. Ray was an intuitive person. He was the type of person who could comfortably get lost in his thoughts, someone who had tremendous problem solving abilities. Always conscientious and focused on details, Ray was a person who loved to imagine the possibilities of life.

Ray was born on January 3, 1963 at St. Joseph Hospital in Aurora, Illinois. He was the son of Sharon and Raymond Hooper. He was raised in Arleta. Ray did not have to surround himself with people to be content. He was the type of person who enjoyed being alone rather than be part of a large crowd. He could be content for hours in some activity or be lost in his own imagination or tinkering on his race car in the garage.

Ray was adaptable and had good listening skills which he would use to his advantage when it came to family life. He grew up with two siblings. He had one older sister, Donna, and one younger brother, Lance. He rarely shied away from family discussions. He would debate with his siblings but if it turned into an argument, Ray would often turn it into an agreement. In general, the family got along well and shared many memorable experiences.

In grade school, Ray gravitated toward others who shared similar interests and enjoyed academics more than physical activity. He was always curious about what made things work, and he would excel at the things that called more for "brain" power. He delighted in the projects that required planning, exploration and solution. As was evident by those who knew him, his most fun was to be found in cars going fast.

During high school, Ray excelled at the challenge of learning and was especially good at taking tests and exams. He could delight more in problem solving than in the more routine school work. As long as the intellectual challenges kept coming, Ray was happy.

Although Ray had a small group of friends, they were a close knit group and he enjoyed spending time with them. He liked to be able to engage them in discussions on the many topics he found interesting. Those who knew him well might describe Ray as a good listener who could bring out a type of understanding from those around him that even surprised them. He was passionate in his commitments and would never intentionally hurt anyone.

Ray was a hard worker and a good provider who loved his family even though he wasn’t very demonstrative. Ray was blessed with five children, Michelle, Raymond, Adam, Taylor and Tyler. Ray's sense of fun was often unleashed in his puns and witty, intelligent quips. He enjoyed his children working by his side on the racecar and on raceday in the pits. The children always knew that Ray loved them.

Finding the right type of job can be a challenge for anyone, but that was especially true for Raymond Michael Hooper, Jr. he needed to find a career that would challenge him. Fortunately, he found a career path where he could use his natural intellect and his natural critical thinking skills. His primary occupation was a mechanic. Ray was a dedicated and valued employee and was respected by his colleagues for his ability to grasp and understand difficult concepts.

Hobbies were more than fun for Ray because he challenged himself to learn the theory behind the actual activity. Knowing how things worked was more incentive than just performing and completing the task. His favorite pursuit was racing. Ray went from racing his cars on the street at age 16, to racing a car on the track at age 18. His racing career started at Saugus Speedway. He won several races in all division there was, streetstock, sportsman, modified southwest tour series. Ray comes from a background of racing from his father, Ray Sr. to godfather, Sonny Easley, followed by Lance. Ray loved racing all over the West Coast. Every track he went to people would say "Hoops" here. Every person he took racing sure had a story to tell about their experience they had racing with Ray.

Travel was a luxury for Ray and something that he took great pleasure in doing. Ray was at his best in the planning stages, as he did research and learned all about the places that he would be visiting. He wasn't as fond of dealing with the actual organizing, but once he put together all of the information, he was more than happy to turn it all over to someone else and let them put together the itinerary. Ray loved to get away. Trips to Disneyland, Knottsberry Farm, Magic Mountain,He loved being by the ocean. His favorite vacation was a trip to the Bahamas.

Ray enjoyed time with his pets. He could spend hours in private thought, and his faithful companions would just sit by his side or in his lap. Ray's favorites dogs were Axel, Race and most recent Max. He would work on his race cars while they laid in the garage by his side.

Raymond Michael Hooper, Jr. passed away on February 19, 2011 in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Ray fought cancer for two years. Services were held at Palm Northwest Mortuary and Cemetery. Ray was laid to rest at the Garden of Peace at Palm Northwest Mortuary and Cemetery in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Friends and family will remember Raymond Hooper, Jr. Those who knew and loved Ray will miss his quiet gentleness, his curiosity and his ability to often turn work situations into fun experiences. He leaves all those who knew him with many wonderful memories. He will be in everyone's hearts forever. Gone but "NOT" forgotten.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Northwest-Funeral Home, Las Vegas, NV.