January 29, 1950 Christopher Rory Hoops was born. He grew up in Southern California with four siblings and two loving parents. He was surrounded by love, books, music, and exotic plants from his father’s garden.In his teens, Chris met the world. His good and bad relationships ultimately lead to a conversion to the Christian faith, returning him to the Lutheran and Catholic roots of his parents, seeking solace and comfort in Jesus Christ.
In his late teens, he studied constantly, absorbing as much wisdom as he could from his mentors, pastors, teachers, and parents. His late twenties we full of adventures, teaching full time, and leading many ministries while attending college.
When he was twenty-seven, he married a woman who would become the foundation of his home, the greatest gift God would bestow upon him, Gail Melinda Turner. When he was twenty-nine, his first child, Erin Christine, was born. And his second and third, Christopher Rory, Jr., and Michael Charles, were given to him when he was thirty-two and thirty-nine.
The day Michael was born, Chris was diagnosed with an undefined strand of Hepatitis and, a couple years later, it was named Hepatitis, type C. He was informed that his life must slow down and he needed to find a quiet place to live out the few years he had left. In 1991, Chris left the congregation he founded and pastured since 1980, and moved his family to the northeast corner of Washington State.
Washington had many trials for him. He lost his health and many friends, but the most profound loss was his daughter and firstborn, Erin, at age sixteen. Chris was able to receive a new liver, which blessed him with years of borrowed time. These fourteen years let him run his own book store, raise impressive gardens year after year, run a small farm, adopt three loving daughters, teach –which was his passion–, see Michael graduate high school, and Christopher’s wedding and college graduation.
Late 2001, Chris moved his family back to California, taking a teaching job for a year. A controversy over him using the Godfather Trilogy in Bible class and clear signs of his health failing lead him to a decision to move from Santa Cruz to Roseville, leaving the teaching job.Late 2005, Chris’ health steadily declined and by late 2006, trips to the hospital became routine, scares about his passing were frequent. In winter of 2007, Chris’ health plateaued; by March of 2008 news about his kidneys subsequently removed him from the transplant list. The end was eminent.
Many people were able to visit him, and he was happy to receive their company. They talked about faith, politics, and life in general. He cried with some and laughed with many. Late June was when death’s shadow overtook him with discomfort, pain, and a helpless, nightly yearning to be with the Lord. Around 2:45 on July 17, a Thursday, Chris gave up his spirit, breathing his last with his wife by his side. He left behind a faithful, loving widow, children and siblings who love him, and countless friends who honor his memory.
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