John Leslie Hooker

The funeral service for John L. Hooker, 90, will be held on Wednesday April 19, 2023, at 10:00 AM at Thompson Funeral Home, 845 Leesburg Rd, Columbia, SC 29209, with burial in the Ft. Jackson National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM prior to the service at Thompson Funeral Home. John L. passed from life on this earth to eternal life in Heaven on Monday, April 10, 2023. Born in Columbia, SC, he was the son of the late Elzie Dukes and Ruby Martin Hooker. In 1952, he married Ruby Campbell and the two cherished 71 years together. John L. attended school in Columbia, SC and graduated from Lindsay Hopkins School in Miami, Florida, where he received honorable credits in the field of air conditioning. He was associated with McDonald Air Conditioning, Inc. for almost 40 years in Florida and retired in 1994 at which time he moved back to South Carolina. His life in Florida was filled with amazing opportunities of Christian service as well as hunting and fishing. John enjoyed solo and quartet Gospel singing, choir music and serving as Deacon for many years and Ruby enjoyed serving as church organist. After retirement and returning to Columbia, their ministry in Christian service continued with John in music and Ruby as Church Media Specialist. John L. and Ruby enjoyed their last years worshiping at First Baptist Church of Columbia. John L. was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. John L. and Ruby filled their lives with CARING, LOVING, AND SERVING! Those left to cherish his memories are his wife Ruby Hooker; son Kevin D. Hooker (Sabrina); and his daughter Jodi Lynn Keller (Ken); granddaughters Shannon Barton (Bill), Lesli McMakin (Austin), and Hope Bizzaco (Anthony); great-grandchildren Collin Pfennig, Karter Barton, and Anthony Bizzaco III; sister Barbara Risenhoover and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is predeceased in death by his son John Kenneth Hooker; his brothers E. D. Hooker, Thomas Hooker, and Joe Dan Hooker; his sisters Margie Connolly and Mary Barker; and granddaughter Kimberly Keller. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Television Ministry of First Baptist Church, 1306 Hampton Street, Columbia, SC 29201, in memory of John L. Hooker.