Dr. Richard L. Hooker passed from this life on January 23, 2024. Richard was born on April 20, 1937, in Livingston, TX to Jimmie (Johnson) Hooker and Chester B. Hooker.

Richard was among the first in his family to graduate from college. His degree from Lamar College led him to his first teaching job, igniting a long and distinguished career in higher education. From the beginning, he was a passionate advocate for securing equitable access to quality education for all children, regardless of race or class.

In 1971, Richard earned his Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. He served as an Assistant Superintendent at Brazosport ISD, President of the Texas Association of School Boards, and worked for Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe as the Special Assistant for Educational Research and Planning.

Dr. Hooker's longest tenure began in the late 70s as an assistant professor at the University of Houston's Educational Leadership Department, where he later served as department chair of the program until his retirement in 2007. During his time at U of H he consulted numerous state education organizations and legislators in school finance, including serving as an expert witness in Texas Supreme Court Case Edgewood ISD v. Kirby, a landmark case concerning public school finance. Most notably, Dr. Hooker was a key figure behind the adoption of Texas' education finance recapture, also known as the Robin Hood plan.

Richard was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing, and gardening. He valued spending time with his children and grandchildren, boating, tubing, and fishing on Lake Travis and Tiki Island where he and his loving wife, Sonia Smith, retired.

Richard is survived by his wife Sonia Smith; his six children: sons Chester Hooker, John Hooker, Rick Hooker, daughters Linda Landrum and Beth Beutel; his stepson Michael Staton, and stepdaughter Jamie Sava and her husband Kris; his grandchildren Melaine Woods-Douga and her husband Tom, Crystal Gailey and her husband Joshua, Michelle Lausen, Faith and Grace Hooker, Cody and Aubrey Hooker, and Eleanor and Sutton Sava; his great grandchildren, Tommy and Tim Douga, Tyler and Trevor Manke, River Gailey, Zane and Zailey Wiggins. Waiting for him in the great beyond, is his eldest daughter Vivian Hooker.

Honorary pallbearers are Joshua Gailey, Michael Staton, Trevor Manke, Tom Douga, Tommy Douga and Timmy Douga.

A memorial service will be held at 10am on Saturday, February 3, 2024, at Moody Methodist Church in Galveston, TX with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Dr. Richard L. Hooker Scholarship Endowment in the College of Education at the University of Houston. https://bit.ly/givetoUH