Edward Young Hooper III

Dr. Edwards Young Hooper III, 75, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away on the morning of Friday, May 5th, 2023. Best known as EY, he was born on September 20th, 1947 in Casa Grande, Arizona to parents Edwards Young Hooper Junior and Alma Hooper. He was the eldest of the four Hooper sons, Roger, Bruce and Blake. He is survived by his loving wife of 49 years Rosie Hooper, and his children Adam Hooper (wife Leigh Hooper) and Claire Konkos (husband Kevin Konkos). He was beloved Grandpa to his granddaughters Ella and Harper Konkos.

EY completed his undergraduate degree in Zoology and Doctorate of Medicine at the University of Arizona. He then devoted himself to a life of service as a physician for the United States Public Health Service, ultimately ascending to the rank of Captain. Career highlights include earning his Masters of Public Health from the Armed Services Medical School and facilitating a national Indian Health Service campaign to spread awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Throughout his career, he offered loyal patient care, education and mentoring as a Family Medicine Physician at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center and Clinic at the Tohono O'odham Nation at San Xavier, and the Tohono O’odham Nation at San Lucy Village. In the final years preceding his retirement in early 2022, EY enjoyed his Civil Servant role as the regional physician managing tort claim cases for the Indian Health Service, a position well suited to his judicial and ethical spirit.

EY is remembered as a consistently kind, deeply present and intelligent friend and family member, who always had a gracious listening ear and a calm, gentle manner of offering support and guidance. He also had a playful side, apt to break into a quick jig when joyful and ready with an appropriate Shakespearean quote for almost any occasion. He took great pleasure in laying brick, hiking and working to beautify the physical spaces of the homes he shared with Rosie. EY was one for sweet gestures, frequently gathering roses and wildflowers on morning walks to share with his granddaughters in a hand bouquet. Along with his wife Rosie, he brought up his children Adam and Claire by embodying the tenets of the Methodist Church to do no harm, do good and stay in love with God by leading a life of service.

Funeral Services will be held at one o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, May 20th at the First Presbyterian Church of Casa Grande at 702 E Cottonwood Lane. A graveside interment and church reception will follow. For those who wish to send Flowers: 3 G’s Flowers of Casa Grande can kindly deliver to the Church by 11 AM on Friday, May 19th. Or, in lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in EY Hooper’s honor to Saint Mary’s Food Bank of Phoenix or NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness.