Ruel Dean Hooper was born January 22, 1936 in New Liberty, MO. He was born to William Edgar and Lilly Ella (nee Reed) Hooper. He passed on September 28, 2026 at SSM-Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon, IL. He is survived by his children, Richard (the late Resa) Laswell, Jackson, MS; Phillip (Glenda) Laswell, Bonnieville, KY; Christine (Frank) Brandon, Kinmundy, IL and Deana Hooper, Delaware, OH; grandchildren, Brandi (Mike) Ortt, O’Fallon, MO; Rebecca Jones, Fairbanks, AK; Stephan Manning, Phoenix, AZ; Jacob Brandon, Salem, IL and Grace (the late Tim) Smith, Naples, FL; great-grandchildren, Emmaleigh Brandon, Elisa Smith, Olivia Ortt, Kathryn Ortt, Kane Joliff, and Luca Brandon. He is preceded in death by his parents; three wives, Marilyn (Davis) Hooper, Betty Jean (Anderson) Hooper, and Karen Laswell; all of his siblings; and two grandsons, Raoul Pingel and Timothy Smith. Ruel served in the the U.S. Navy Reserves and he worked as maintenance supervisor at Alvey, Inc.
As an expression of sympathy memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.