Published on September 22, 2025 3:54 pm
Last Updated on September 22, 2025 4:10 pm
Geri Lynn Hopper, age 73, of Big Sandy, Tennessee, passed away Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Willow Breeze Hospice House in Mattoon, Illinois surrounded by her family.
Geri Lynn was born on October 1, 1951, in Rockford, Illinois, the daughter of Richard (Dick) and Irene Clay. Geri graduated from Hiawatha High School in Kirkland, IL with the Class of 1969. She married her high school sweetheart, Ronnie Hopper, on February 14, 1970, in Kirkland, Illinois. Ronnie and Geri moved to Effingham in 1981 and lived there for 28 years before moving back to
Fairdale, Illinois, where Ronnie was working at the time, and they were able to be there to help with Geri’s mother’s (Irene) care in her later years. While back in Fairdale, Geri, Ronnie and Irene survived an EF4 tornado in 2015 that leveled not only Irene’s home, but most of the town. After Irene’s passing later that year, they moved to Big Sandy, Tennessee where Ronnie grew up. They lived there for 9 years before Geri’s passing. She was a loving wife, sister, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She had a fondness for collecting any kind of frog decorations she could
get her hands on, and she never let a late-night QVC purchase pass her by because, “Easy Pay”! She was an avid cook/baker and feeding people was her love language, just like her grandmother. You never left Geri’s house hungry! She was very proud of her Swedish heritage and one of her favorite meals to make for the family was Swedish Pancakes. Geri enjoyed watching all the wildlife, colorful birds and hummingbirds that would visit their yard daily. She especially loved their dog, Isabelle, who passed recently.
Geri is survived by: Husband of 55 years, Ronnie Hopper Children- David (Trista) Hopper of Effingham, Illinois ; Lauren Baldwin of Garland, Texas; Grandchildren- Karli (Jess) Burley of Newton, Illinois; Regan Hopper of Nashville, Tennessee; Emma Baldwin of Garland, Texas; Great-Grandson- Kase Burley; Siblings- Michael (Kathy) Clay of Belvidere, Illinois; Teri Peterson of Cortland, Illinois; Ronald (Janice) Clay of Harrogate, England; Geanelle Nelson of Byron, Illinois and many nieces and nephews.
Geri was preceded in death by her parents, brother Timothy Clay, brothers-in-law Randy Peterson and Tracy Nelson.
Tentatively, a Celebration of Life will be held December 20, 2025 in Kirkland, Illinois (Location to be determined).