Frederick Hoppe

Frederick J. Hoppe, 88, passed away in Atlanta, Georgia, where he lived for the last three years. Mr. Hoppe was a Navy veteran and after his honorable discharge, he attended the University of Washington where he earned a B.S in Mechanical Engineering and lettered in swimming. Mr. Hoppe spent his professional career in Seattle, WA with Pacific Car and Foundry, where early in his career he took advantage of an opportunity to follow a project that was moving to Kansas City, MO. In all, Mr. Hoppe spent 32 years with PACCAR, rising to the post of Chief Engineer. Fulfilling a dream of becoming a college professor after retiring from PACCAR, he accepted a post at Kansas State University as an Associate Professor of Engineering Technology in 1984, and became recognized as an advocate for ET students, assisting about a dozen of them in obtaining their first patent, and also winning an award for advising. He retired in 1997, enjoying time with his wife and an avocation of restoring to the finest detail two prize winning 1956 Chevys, which subsequently appeared in parades and a television commercial. He also swam competitively, and for a time was world ranked in several masters events.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Janice L. Hoppe, in 2001 and his son Kevin C. Hoppe in 2013. His five living children are: Valerie H. Peterson of Atlanta, Steven P. Hoppe of Morrison CO, Elizabeth A. Donaldson of Rolling Meadows, IL, Charlotte W. Pardo of Olathe, KS, and Bradley G. Hoppe of Lawrence, KS. He had 18 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

Interment and services will be March 25th in Atlanta at H. M. Patterson and Son Spring Hill Chapel and Georgia National Cemetery with military honors.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Kansas State University School of Engineering: http://www.found.ksu.edu/how-to-give/index.html or The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation: http://www.myasthenia-ca.org.