Cesar A. Hooper

Cesar A. Hooper passed away Tuesday, December 29, 2020, at St. Dominic’s hospital in Jackson, Ms.  Due to Covid, a memorial service will be held at a later date.

Cesar was born in Montevideo, Uruguay on July 27, 1968 , moved to Mississippi when he was six months old, and has lived near Sidon since he was five years old. He attended Little Red School and later Pillow Academy, where he attended classes, was a manager and spirit leader of the Mustangs football team, and worked in the cafeteria. He was blessed to have so many wonderful teachers, coaches, and classmates, who remained his lifelong friends. After he left Pillow, he became a vital part of the family farm. He was the farm office manager, where he diligently reported the daily commodity markets and loved to greet anybody who arrived on the farm with a big smile and a fist bump. He also spent many hours each day at the farm shop, and working and riding with “Big Matt”. Traveling to his other family home, Piriapolis, Uruguay, to spend time with his many relatives was something he always looked forward to each year. He  enjoyed working at the family’s gas station and convenience store in Piriapolis with his many friends. His Uruguayan family made sure that Cesar enjoyed his time there and would take him on vacations to other places in South America. 

Cesar loved sports and was actively involved in his great nieces’ softball teams. He traveled all over Mississippi and sometimes to  Arkansas and Florida helping with the coaching duties. Cesar was always the lucky charm with the pregame coin toss and he made sure his first aid kit was well equipped for any accident. Cesar’s enthusiasm and team spirit were infectious to his players and the other coaches around him.  Wins were great, but if a loss occurred, he would always tell the players, “We’ll get them next time.” Cesar began his coaching career with the Greenwood Sparks, alongside his nephew “ Little Matt”, and his dear friends Matt Hudson, Larry Kelly, Robert Cole, and Marty Self, and they captured the State Championship.  In 2014, Cesar helped coach Delta Smoke softball team with Little Matt, Adam Weems, Robbie Rice, and Brandon Clark. This team won the Dizzy Dean World Series and Cesar was ecstatic for days on end. For the last five years, Cesar has been coaching Motion 05 softball team from Madison County beside his beloved niece, “Jamie Pooh”, and had formed some exceptional friendships with the other coaches, Richard Chisolm and Michael Grace.  Even though most of these girls never knew Cesar earlier in life, it didn't take them long to love him, just like everybody else who knew him. Cesar also loved to watch wrestling, could tell you every time it was coming on television, and missed very few shows.  When live wrestling would be in Jackson or Memphis, his adored nephew, “Little Matt”, would treat Cesar to ringside seats. Cesar also enjoyed camping, boating, and fishing, and he was always ready during deer season to help “Big Matt” load a deer. 4-H livestock shows were another fun time of the year for Cesar. He made sure that everybody had a schedule of events and was always ready to ask “Big Andy” any question if he didn’t know the answer. 

Cesar attended Sidon Methodist Church, where he was a faithful usher. His church family has loved him and supported him throughout his life. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Teresita Hooper. He is survived by his sister, Chriss Howard (Matt) of Sidon and a brother, Jim Hooper (Katheryne) and their children and families of Wasilla, Alaska; a nephew, Matt Howard, Jr. (Mary Lauren) and their children, Sarah Presley, Avery, Elise, and Britton Howard, all of Greenwood, and a niece, Jamie Glasgow (Dave) and their children, Meg, Julia, and Ryle, all of Canton, cousins, Eva Jane Emerson of Memphis, and Rob Harlow (LIsa) of Enid.
Cesar is also survived by his maternal family in Uruguay: his cousins, Gloria and Javier Santin, who were his loving guardians while he was visiting Uruguay, and their children Felipe and Juliana; his aunts and uncles, Gogo, Martha, Pancho, and Jorge; cousins Francis (Adriana), Paula, Jorge, Alfredo, Celina, and their children, Nicolas, Santiago, Sebastian, Natacha, Nazarena, Augusto, Lola, and Samira.

A special thanks to Dr. Boler, who has helped keep Cesar so healthy for his entire life, which enabled him to enjoy the activities that he loved.  Also, a special thanks to Cesar’s ICU nurse, William Thomas, who was such a comfort to him and to us the last seven days of Cesar’s life on earth. We referred to him as “ Cesar’s angel nurse” but on Christmas Day, Cesar called him, ‘his new best friend”.

There were so many people who had such a tremendous positive impact on Cesar’s life, which helped Cesar live life to its fullest, and we will be forever grateful. Please know that Cesar loved each and every one of you. May God bless all of you!

Memorials may be made to Sidon Methodist Church, Sidon Cemetery Association, Motion 05 Softball Team, Pillow Academy Athletic Booster Club, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, or a charity of choice.

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