William C. “Bill” Hoop of Franklin, MA, whose career as a journalist, public relations consultant and corporate communications executive spanned nearly a half-century, passed away on June 16, 2017, after a lengthy illness. He was 70 years old.
Mr. Hoop is survived by Leslie, his loving wife of 32 years. Many friends and business colleagues will miss his kind heart, irrepressible sense of optimism and dry wit.
An accomplished newsman, Mr. Hoop was raised in western Pennsylvania, the son of an editor for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He attended Bethany College in West Virginia, and thereafter launched his own career as a journalist. Beginning in 1968 as a wire service correspondent for United Press International in Pittsburgh, Mr. Hoop spent the next 17 years in a variety of positions at UPI, including legislative correspondent in Harrisburg, PA; bureau manager in Cleveland; and state editor in Columbus, OH, and Des Moines, IA, before being assigned as New England news editor in Boston.
Mr. Hoop left journalism in 1985 to join the Boston office of Hill & Knowlton Public Relations, one of the world’s foremost communications consulting companies, where he served as a vice president until 1988. He subsequently joined Cabot Public Relations/Boston, where he was executive vice president and director. Mr. Hoop headed a freelance writing business between 1992 and 1994, serving such clients as Bank of Boston, EMC Corp., The Rockport Company, and Fidelity Investments.
In 1994, Mr. Hoop joined Fidelity and, over the next 20-plus years, rose to become senior vice president and head of the mutual fund company’s editorial services group, which produced shareholder communications and other corporate editorial materials. Mr. Hoop also was an executive speechwriter for Fidelity, working closely with retired chairman Ned Johnson, current chair Abigail Johnson and other senior executives.
Mr. Hoop and his wife enjoyed travelling. They loved cruising in the Caribbean and also took multiple “repositioning” cruises when ships moved from the Caribbean into the Pacific Ocean by way of the Panama Canal. An avid golfer, Mr. Hoop spent many summer Saturdays on local courses with friends. In the late 1990s, he scored a hole-in-one on the 16th hole at Olde Scotland Links in Bridgewater, MA.
A flight simulation enthusiast for many years, Mr. Hoop became a licensed amateur pilot of small fixed-wing aircraft in his early 50s. He often rented aircraft from Plymouth Municipal Airport and would invite friends to join him for an out-of-town lunch at other New England airports. Flying to Martha’s Vineyard was one of his favorite trips.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours in the Ginley Funeral Home, 131 Main Street, Franklin, MA on Wednesday, June 21 from 5:00-8:00PM. His funeral will be private at the request of the family. Memorial Service will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the Pulmonary Young Physicians Fund at Mass. General Hospital and mailed to MGH Development Office, 125 Nashua St., Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114 Attn: Jocelyn Hoey Meter.