On Wednesday June 8th 2022, Melissa Kay Hooper: loving mother, wife, sister and daughter passed away at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, TN. She was 56 years old. Melissa, born on January 11th 1966 in Sweetwater Hospital and was a member of Friends meeting of Ballplay. She loved her God and her church family. She graduated from Tellico Plains High School and Hiwassee College. She also attended Samford University and University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Melissa joined the CASA Monroe family in 2011 and was an integral part of the success of CASA Monroe. She loved advocating for children and always would help someone in need no matter how she was feeling at the time. There are not enough words to express our love for her. To know her was to love her. She knew no stranger! The relationships and lived Melissa has touched in her time as CASA Monroe are more than you can imagine. Melissa won her long term battle with liver disease receiving a living donor liver from Vanessa Hodgson on April 5th 2022. Melissa was preceded in death by her father, Otis (Bud) Smalling. Survived by Husband of 31 years, Mike Hooper, son, Brady Hooper, mother, Barbara Smalling, brother, Richard Smalling, sister, Janice Effler and husband Ike Effler, nephew Brandon Smalling.
