Valetha C Hoops Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Funeral services for VALETHA C. HOOPS, 96, will be held at 10am Monday, July 13, 2015 at the Fort Laramie Presbyterian Church with Reverend Ann Miner officiating. Burial will follow in the Fort Laramie Cemetery. Valetha died July 2, 2015 at Heritage Estates in Gering, Nebraska. A memorial has been established to the Fort Laramie Presbyterian Church. The casket will be open prior to the service at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and friends may send condolences to the family at www.colyerfuneralhome.com. Valetha Caroline Louise Emma (Schutte) hoops was born January 1, 1919 on the family farm near Byron, Nebraska. She was the youngest child of William and Louise (Scheiding) Schutte and had two brothers and six sisters. Valetha was baptized on January 12, 1919 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Byron where she was also later confirmed. She was the only child in her family to attend high school and graduated on May 23, 1935 at the age of sixteen. She furthered her education in Hastings, Nebraska and on May 22, 1936 she received her Elementary School Certificate to teach kindergarten through eighth grade. She then went on to teach at the age of seventeen in one-room schools in Nebraska and Kansas. On October 4, 1942 Valetha was a wartime bride when she married Arthur Hoops. Their wedding was two weeks after Art was inducted into the service. She returned to teaching to fulfill her contract until the School Board found a replacement. She was then able to follow Art where he was stationed. They lived in St. Louis, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, and Edmonton, Canada. After WWII ended and Art was discharged, they settled on a farm east of Byron. It was while they were farming in Byron that they welcomed their only child, Linda. In 1960 the family moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where they lived until 1974. Over the years there they owned and managed apartment houses. They then retired and spent time traveling, spending summers in Nebraska helping family, and winters in Texas. In 1977 they began a new adventure by moving to Glenwood Springs, Colorado still living in their travel trailer. In the spring of 1979 they bought a small farm in Peach Valley between Silt and New Castle. Valetha loved her big gardens and the time they spent renovating the house and property. For eight years she was the treasurer for Good Shepherd Lutheran Church during a time when the church votted whether or not to close the doors. Thankfully Valetha and the dedicated members voted to continue and through her efforts to "watch every penny" and the dedication of the few members they remained and grew. When Art and Valetha moved years later, they were blessed to have seen their much-loved church not only to continue but to grow to a full-house every Sunday. Valetha and Art came out of "retirement in 1994 and began a new occupation when they purchased a ranch and moved to Lingle, Wyoming to raise cattle with daughter Linda and family. Wherever life took Valetha she worked side by side with her husband whether it was yard work, cleaning apartments, or attacking noxious weeds on the ranch. The were truly soul-mates and a wonderful example of how marriage should be. She was really happiest when she was with her family or when she could be outside. Valetha is survived by her daughter Linda Christeleit and her husband Peter; grandchildren PJ Christeleit, and wife Liz, Heather Olson and husband Josh; great grandson Jaydin Olson; daughter of her heart Betty Rose Powell and husband Bruce; sister-in-law Jane Jurgens; and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and all her siblings.

Valetha C Hoops

January 1, 1919 - July 2, 2015