Verda Hopp

Verda Maxine Hopp, 89, of Happy Valley, Oregon passed November 22nd.

Verda Hopp never needed a spotlight to shine. She was always beautiful, both inside and out. Born Verda Maxine Frick in Gladstone in 1936 to parents Albert and Margaret Frick. Her father was a carpenter, and her mother was a housewife. She grew up in Oregon City, the eldest of two children. She loved helping in the family garden, playing with her brother Jerry, and discovering early the quiet joys that would follow her throughout her life — good soil, good company, and good stories.

She graduated from Oregon City High School and briefly attended Portland State University, but her path changed course when she met Donald F. Hopp. Together they built a home on Washington Street where they raised three girls and a lifetime of memories that would later become family lore: early morning fishing, crabbing and clamming trips, hunting and camping, caravans of family friends heading toward the Oregon Coast to their cabin on Devil’s Lake or journeys with friends to Trout Lake, always with Verda at the center and ready for anything. 

As her children grew, she became a dedicated presence at their school, assisting on the playground, contributing to the PTA, and supporting numerous programs. She later resumed her professional life, serving as a clerk at the courthouse, earning respect for her reliability and warmth. 

When retirement finally arrived, Don and Verda bought a home in Arizona, where they spent their winters golfing, visiting with friends, and enjoying life. They met many wonderful people from all over, many of whom became lifelong friends. Verda especially loved her hiking group and logged countless miles exploring trails and canyons. She also enjoyed painting, golfing (earning a lifetime distinction with her two hole-in-ones), and simply having fun wherever she went. Verda also loved the thrill of the hunt, wandering through garage sales in search of small treasures and unexpected joys, as well as shopping on QVC. She had a love for adventure, traveling throughout the United States as well as to many international destinations.

Even after returning to Oregon, her days stayed full. She tended her garden with the same devotion she’d given her family, volunteered at the Oregon City Food Bank, remained active in her garden club, golfed with her friends, attended church, and cherished every moment spent with her granddaughter, Makaila. When Verda moved to The Springs, she found a new community to call home and deeply valued the friendships she formed with residents and staff alike.

Verda was preceded in death by her husband, Donald; her eldest daughter, Jackie Capece; and her brother, Jerry Frick. Those who remain — daughters Karen Hopp and Linda Tiberi; granddaughter Makaila Heifner; and sons-in-law Nicholas Capece and Joseph Tiberi — carry forward her spirit of gentleness, resilience, and quiet joy.

You can view Verda’s memorial video below:

A celebration of life was held on December 22, 2025 at
Zion Lutheran Church
720 Jefferson St, Oregon City, OR 97045
The service was live streamed, and you can view the recording below.

As much as Verda loved all plants, in lieu of flowers,
the family requests donations be made to causes that were nearest and dearest to her heart:
Breakthrough T1D, Gales Creek Camp, or Breast Friends