Pastor Paul Hoppe, age 79, of Gardner, Kansas, fell asleep in Jesus Monday, October 13, 2025 at KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas.
Paul was born September 17,1946 in Sheboygan, WI, the son of Christ and Ruth (Berlin) Hoppe. He was baptized October 27,1946 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Kohler, Wisconsin and later confirmed the gifts given in baptism April 10,1960 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
Paul grew up in Sheboygan where he attended Trinity Lutheran School. He left home for high school to prepare for ministry and attended Concordia High School, Milwaukee. He continued his education there for junior college. After Concordia Milwaukee, he attended Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne, Indiana. From there, he went to Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. After three years of seminary and one year of internship in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he was ordained as a Lutheran pastor. He served congregations in Parsons, Kansas, Alva, Oklahoma, Shawnee, Kansas and Conway, Arkansas until retiring in 2009. Paul always wanted to share the love of Jesus and be a good pastor to the people entrusted to his care.
During seminary, he met Carolyn Schmale. They got married August 23, 1969. God blessed their union with two children, Jennifer and Philip.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Christ and Ruth, and his sister, Donna. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Carolyn, his daughter Jennifer and husband Terrie Gustafson, his son Philip and wife Jaimee, brother Dan and wife Jackie Hoppe, sister Sandy Kuester, sisters-in-law Marsha McCray and Marla Schmale, and his grandchildren Shelby Anderson, Lacey Gustafson, Landon Gustafson, Gideon Hoppe, Olivia and husband Joshua Martin, Ella Hoppe, Josiah Hoppe, Maria Hoppe, Anna Hoppe, Aleah Hoppe, and Ezekiel Hoppe.
Paul cheered on the Oklahoma Sooners, enjoyed spending time with family, loved learning through reading, and continued to follow pro wrestling, which he began watching with his family early on.
A visitation will be held from 5-7:00 p.m. Thursday, October 16, 2025 at Hope Lutheran Church, 6308 Quivira Rd, Shawnee, KS. A second visitation will be held from 10-11:00 a.m. Friday, October 17th at King of Kings Lutheran Church, 306 E. Madison St, Gardner, KS followed by funeral services at 11:00 a.m. at King of Kings Lutheran Church. Interment will be held at Gardner Cemetery.
Memorials may be given to any of the four congregations Paul served, Trinity Lutheran, Parsons, KS, Zion Lutheran, Alva, OK, Hope Lutheran, Shawnee, KS, and St. Matthew Lutheran, Conway, AR or King of Kings Lutheran Church in Gardner where he was a member.