Mrs. Shirley Mae Hooper, age 90 of Rutherford, Tennessee, passed away from this life on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Diversicare of Martin. Funeral services for Mrs. Hooper will be conducted on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 2PM in the chapel of New Hope Baptist Church with Bro. Joey Hufstedler and Joey Hayes officiating. Interment will follow in Yorkville Cemetery.

She was born December 22, 1935, in Yorkville, TN; the daughter of the late Fred and Rachel Eakes Collins. Shirley retired from the TriCity Reporter and was a member of New Hope Baptist Church.

Mrs. Hooper is survived by three children, Rusty Hooper, Denise Halliburton (Dave), Bobby Hooper; and two grandchildren, Willis Hooper, and Darcie Pyron. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Lester Hooper; parents; two sisters, Nerine Cowan, Kathryn Billings; and daughter-in-law, Kathy Hooper.

Honored to serve as pallbearers are Joey Hayes, Bill Minton, David McEwen, Patrick Spencer, and Jordan Pyron.

In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to The Gideons International ( https://gideons.org/ ), or the Alzheimer’s Foundation ( https://alzfdn.org/ ).

Visitation will be Tuesday, March 10, 2026, from 12PM – 2PM, at New Hope Baptist Church. Karnes & Son Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Mrs. Shirley Mae Hooper.