Obituary of Edward Prescott Hooper

Edward Prescott Hooper, 90, of Mendham, died quietly at home on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, with care guided by the Hospice program of the Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills. A resident of Mendham for the past 16 years, he was born in Jersey City and grew up in Hoboken, where his father, the Rev. Edward P. Hooper, was rector of Holy Innocents Episcopal Church for nearly 30 years. His mother was the former Agnes McRae. Mr. Hooper, who was known as "Ned," attended Hoboken Academy, Hoosack School in Hoosack, N.Y., and was graduated in 1943 from Admiral Billard Academy, a maritime-oriented prep school in New London, Conn. He served in the United States Coast Guard during World II, ferrying troops across the North Atlantic while dodging German submarines. He used to say he'd also had a lovely cruise to China with Uncle Sam as cruise director. After the war, Mr. Hooper studied corporate accounting, attending Columbia University and graduating from New York University in 1950. He earned his CPA certification and embarked on an international business career, becoming an auditor and partner in various firms including Peat Marwick, now KPMG, where he handled the Mercedes Benz account in Germany. He married his first wife, Jean von Deesten, in 1948. The couple subsequently lived in Nutley, Glen Ridge, Clifton and Basking Ridge, spending summers at their house in Culver Lake until her death in 1997. He moved to Mendham after marrying Marian Heath Mundy in 1999. An avid golfer, Mr. Hooper was at one time a member of three golf clubs, including the Upper Montclair Country Club. He belonged to the Morristown Club, the Morristown Shakespeare Club, and for many years took a great interest in the New Jersey Symphony. He was also a longtime board member and former board president at the House of the Good Shepherd, an Episcopal-run retirement community in Hackettstown. Mr. Hooper was known for his wry sense of humor and his extensive knowledge of geography, military and maritime history, and all things pertaining to ships and boats, with emphasis on World War II, of which he never seemed to tire. He is survived by his wife, Marian; a niece, Evelyn Fischel, and her husband John, of Chester, and their three children; and by two great-nephews, Jackson and Edward Whitmore, and their mother, Claire. His older sister, Muriel, and two nephews died previously. A memorial service will be held at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, East Main St., Mendham, at 2 p.m. on Friday Jan. 15. Memorial contributions may be made to the Visiting Nurse Association of Somerset Hills, Mount Airy Road, Basking Ridge, N.J., 07920.