History & Staff
We have years of experience caring for families, from all walks of life. Each family comes to us because they know we are leaders in our profession, dedicated to excellence in service, and have the highest integrity.
Our History
Hooper Funeral Homes has been serving Citrus County since 1946. Originally started as Conrad-Morris and then Porter Funeral Home, Lowell Hooper moved to Inverness in 1970 and began serving his community through 4 decades of service. With a passion to better serve the entire county, two branch locations where added in Beverly Hills and Homosassa in the 1970's. All of the properties have been remodeled through the years including the addition of a crematory on the Inverness property in 1980 and the new Homosassa Chapel construction in 1990. Mr. Hooper passed away in 2009 and our daily operations are now overseen by the second generation, Dwight Hooper. We take great pride in being the "Best of the Best" as voted by the readers of the Citrus County Chronicle for many years and invite you to stop by to answer any of your questions or simply to take a tour of our crematory or other facilities.
Our Valued Staff
Mr. Dwight L. Hooper, CFSP, President
Dwight is a native Floridian and moved to Inverness in 1970 when his parents bought the funeral home. He is proud to be the 2nd generation of Hoopers to provide quality funeral care to Citrus County. Dwight received his diploma from Citrus High School in 1987, a Bachelors of Science from Stetson University and his Mortuary Science degree from Gupton-Jones College of Morturary Science in 1992. He and his wife, Paige, have two children and live in Hernando. Dwight's current activities usually revolve around his kids but he spends his free time on his motorcycle or at First Baptist Church, Inverness. With a lifetime of memories in Citrus County and over 20 years of funeral service he brings a wealth of history and experience to funeral service to our County.
Mr. Matt Watley, CFSP, Vice-president
Mr. Thomas R. Edwards, CFSP, Funeral director
Thomas (Tommy) was born in Mineola, NY and moved to Citrus County from Setauket, New York in 1971. He graduated from Citrus High School in 1980, received his Associates in Funeral Service from St. Petersburg College in 2005 and received his designation as a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP) in 2013. Tommy has been with the firm since 2002. He is a Past Master and current secretary of Citrus Masonic Lodge #118 F&AM and First Baptist Church of Inverness where he plays percussion on the Praise Band. Tommy enjoys reading, listening and playing music and spending time with his wife, Angie and their 2 children.
Mrs. Helga Forbes, Receptionist
Helga was born in Germany and came to the United States with her husband in 1963. Together they had one son. She is a member of the German-American Club of West Central Florida for over 20 years. Helga became an employee of the funeral home in 1992.
Mr. Larry Brooks, Advanced Planning and Family Care Specialist
Larry was born in Huntsville, Alabama and brought to Pinellas County as an infant. His family settle in Pinellas Park and Largo and eventually the family moved to Citrus County in the 1950's. Larry is proud to have grown up between the two counties. He has a 28 year background in the banking and mortgage industry of West Central Florida with a Banking & Finance Degree from St. Pete College, a Banking School Certificate from Florida Bankers Association/University of Florida School of Banking. Larry also holds two diplomas from the American Institute of Banking. He is a United State Air Force Veteran serving in Texas, Mississippi, Turkey and the Philippines.
Larry has been active in the Inverness Kiwanis Club and Chamber of Commerce in the past and currently serves as a Director for the 4H Foundation of Citrus County and Co-Chairman for the annual Citrus Stampede Rodeo that raises funds for 4H programs and scholarships. He also serves as a volunteer at the Citrus County Fair as a bid taker for the 4H & FFA Steer & Swine auctions for 15 years.
Larry and his wife, Lynn, live on their farm in Hernando and take care of their 3 American Quarter Horses. They can also be found attending local car shows and cruise-ins with their antique street rod truck.
Mrs. Jan Lambert, Administative Assistant
Jan was born in New Jersey and moved to Citrus County in 1985. She currently holds an Associates Degree in Commercial Art. In her free time she enjoys cooking, crafts, and spending time with family and friends. She has been an employee since 2010 and is pursuing a degree in Funeral Service from St. Pete College. She is married with 2 children.
