Melvie Coleman Hooper

Melvie Coleman Hooper died on Thursday, December 9, 2021. She was 98. She passed away in the manner for which she had hoped, in her Anderson, South Carolina, home of more than 25 years and surrounded by her three children, who loved and admired her.

Melvie was born in Saluda, South Carolina, on April 29, 1923, the daughter of James Quincy and Amelia Ann Adams. After completing high school, she attended and graduated from Anderson College (now Anderson University). Always talented with budgets and finance, Melvie’s first full-time job was clerking at a bank in Columbia, South Carolina, during the final years of World War II.

She married her high school sweetheart, Bill Coleman, in 1947, after he returned to the United States following U.S. Navy deployments in both the European and Pacific theaters. Melvie and Bill spent almost 30 years together. The couple lived roughly two years in Clemson while Bill pursued his engineering degree from Clemson University. Following Bill’s graduation, he and Melvie made a permanent move in 1950 to Anderson, when Bill began employment with the Owens-Corning Fiberglas Company. While Bill worked with the Anderson-based company until his death in 1976, Melvie’s career began to blossom. She served as a full-time mother to her three children until 1968, when she took on the job as school secretary, first at North Fant Elementary School and later at Calhoun Elementary School.

During a three-decade career with Anderson School District 5, Melvie was widely recognized as a dedicated, caring, incredibly organized and professionally dependable administrator. School district officials even chose Melvie to serve as Calhoun’s Acting Principal during one multiple-months transition period between principals.

Melvie continued her work in finance and accounting as she spent her Monday evenings for 25 years working as an account specialist during weekly livestock sales at the Taylor Stockyards in Anderson.

During hours she wasn’t working professionally, Melvie was known across Anderson because of her caring ministry on behalf of Anderson’s deaf population. She devoted time, energy and creativeness for decades by serving as a sign language interpreter at Anderson First Baptist Church. She also served as a liaison with public agencies for many within the deaf community.

While Melvie achieved success through professional and volunteer outreach, what she treasured most was her personal relationship with her heavenly father. She was an active member of Anderson’s First Baptist Church and, in later years, Concord Baptist Church.

She believed that her faith in God was instrumental in guiding her toward a successful second marriage. At age 80, Melvie married John Hooper, of Anderson. They lived happily together until John’s death in 2010.

Whereas Melvie was known to many because of her devout faith and her service to Anderson’s schools and the deaf community, her friends also were aware of her intense devotion to Clemson University – and especially to the Tigers’ football and basketball teams. She was a season ticket holder for basketball until she reached her seventies, but she was a football season ticket holder until she passed away.

Melvie will be missed by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, William R. Coleman, and second husband, John Hooper. She was also preceded by son-in-law Greg Ellis. She is survived by her children: daughter Bonnie Ellis (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), daughter Sheryl Hudson (Lavonia, Georgia, spouse Larry Hudson), and son Randy Coleman (Vienna, West Virginia, spouse Penny Coleman); grandchildren Adam Ellis, Micah Hudson, Mimi Hudson, Jonah Hudson, BJ Hudson, Kati Coleman, Kelli Coleman, Derek Price and Rachel Price; and 16 great-grandchildren.

A private memorial gathering of the family will take place at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in Anderson. Donations in Melvie’s memory may be directed to a charity of your choice.