Johnny Bob (J.B.) Hooper, lifetime resident of Frisco, Texas, passed away on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Resurrection Sunday will now have a dual meaning for his friends and family.
Born in 1958, J.B. grew up right alongside this town he loved. Having deep roots in one place with more than a few multi-generational friendships was one of the things he treasured most. His days were consumed by serving the Lord, serving his family, and serving his friends. The list of things he cared about was short but strong.
Asked if he was working hard or hardly working, J.B. was always one that would be working hard. His brain woke up with plans and ideas. There was always something to build, measure, fabricate, or make better. He was a jack of all trades, and lucky enough to master a few. Always bringing a unique perspective to any situation, you could always count on him to share valuable wisdom and insight. Graduating from Frisco High School in 1976 and receiving a degree from the Future Farmers of America (FFA), he was sure he’d spend his life working on a black land farm in Collin County with his dad and grandad. But just 3 years later, on a mission trip with cousins to North Carolina, he surrendered to something more the Lord had asked of him and began sowing seed in new ways. The next 45 years found him pastoring and mentoring, teaching and mending.
Finding words to describe him is not an easy task. His own grandmother told him often that they broke the mold when it came to making him. But to those that knew him best, he was loyal. He had an insatiable appetite for the truth. He loved a good song and a good story and especially a good story song. He lived with deep purpose and helped those around him find their purpose too.
J.B. was preceded in death by his father, Robert (Bob) Hooper, his grandparents, A.P. and Ray Hooper, and his in-laws, Brother and Sister Gene Young. He is survived by his wife, Jeannie Hooper; his daughter, Jo Hooper; his mother, Elaine Hooper; his sister and her husband, Roxie and Bill Watson; their children, Roxann and Tjay Chesney and Chance and Katie Watson; and his sister-in-law and her husband, Janette and Don McCarty. J.B. also leaves behind five great nephews (Hooper, Hayes, Holt, Levi, and Tyler) and one great niece (Tatum). Four generations of the Hooper family can often (and still) be found together around the dinner table or on the stage at church. The family that plays together has a different meaning for them. Though there is grief, there is still great hope. And in something he would be most proud of, the legacy lives on.
A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 8520 Main St., Frisco, Texas, 75033. The family will receive friends during a visitation one hour prior to the service at 9:00 a.m. at the funeral home.