John P. Lopp Jr.

John P. Lopp, Jr., 93, of Junior Order Home Road, Lexington passed away Wednesday (Oct. 12, 2011) at Brookstone Retirement Center. A funeral service will be 4 p.m. Saturday, October 15, 2011, at Center Hill Baptist Church followed by a graveside service at Forest Hill Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 3 to 4 p.m. prior to the service at the church. Mr. Lopp was born October 5, 1918 in Davidson County to John Peter Lopp and Della Mae Stephens Lopp. John was engaged in family farming while also working as farm manager for George Coble and particularly for his watermelons and cantaloupes. In 1973 he was named Soil Conservation Farmer of the Year and in 1984 as Farm Family of the Year. John loved life and was a lifelong member of Center Hill Baptist Church. John was a World War II verteran having served in Normandy, Northern France, the Rhineland, Belgium, Germany and Czechoslovakia earning the rank of Staff Sergeant. In service he earned the EAMET Campaign Medal, four Bronze Service Stars, Marksman Award and a Good Conduct Medal. Preceding John in death are his parents; and two brothers, William Allen Lopp and Flowerest “Buck” Lopp. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Elsie Joyce Cope Lopp of the home; sons, John Peter Lopp, III and wife, Ann MacDonald Lopp, of Salisbury, and Robert Daniel Lopp and wife, Linda Murphy Lopp, of Lexington; sisters, Opal Lopp Smith and husband, Jesse Smith, Imogene Lopp Zeilman and husband, George Zeilman; brother, Leonard Lopp and wife, Gaynell Jarrett Lopp; grandchildren, Sissy Cassady and husband, Michael, Elizabeth Freeland and husband, Michael, Maggie Brenseke, Dan Lopp and Michael Lopp; and great-grandchildren, Christopher and Katie Cassady, Mackenzie and Madelyne Brenseke, and Hannah Freeland. A special thanks to Alston Brook and Brookstone for their excellent care of Mr. Lopp. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Center Hill Baptist Church, 3759 NC Highway 8, Lexington, NC 27292.