Jesse Dopson

Jesse Bryan Dopson, son of Christine Hogan and Larry Dopson, was born in Bismarck on June 21, 1977. He died November 24, 2006, in Seoul, Korea. A vigil for friends and family will take place Tuesday, December 5, at 7 p.m. at Parkway Funeral Service. A Mass of Christian burial is scheduled for Wednesday, December 6, at 1 p.m. at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, with the Rev. Thomas Kramer and Rev. James Shea presiding. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery. Jesse attended school in Bismarck and graduated from St. Mary's Central High School in 1996. A voracious reader, Jesse was full of curiosity about the world. He won the geography bee in fifth grade, hinting at his later interests in world travel. He loved reading and discussing anything about history, politics, and sports. Jesse's first love was sports, however. He was active in a variety of athletic activities throughout his life, as evidenced by the fact that he was awarded letters in five separate sports in ninth grade at Hughes Junior High School. His greatest sports memories came from his football career at St. Mary's and Jamestown College. Those memories included two state championship games at St. Mary's and a conference championship and number one national ranking at Jamestown College. In the course of his football career Jesse was selected as All-Conference, All-State, and All-American. Jesse finished his formal football career playing semi-professional ball for the Fargo Freeze. Jesse's teammates from his football years remain true friends. A lifelong sports statistics enthusiast, Jesse used his encyclopedic memory to amaze his friends by recalling sports statistics and obscure trivia. Jesse graduated from Jamestown College in 2001, with degrees in history, political science, and physical education. He taught world history at St. Mary's Central and was an assistant football coach at both St. Mary's and Jamestown College. Jesse was certified in Secondary Education and later earned certification in Teaching English as a Second Language TESOL following intensive training in Thailand. As he built his teaching career, Jesse distinguished himself as a caring, responsible, and capable worker. His employers and co-workers offered glowing praise for him, while his students both respected and adored their teacher, who was giant in stature, but gentle in nature. Teaching degree in hand, Jesse moved to Seoul, Korea, in 2002 and began his career teaching English as a Second Language. Jesse made many good friends in Korea and was thrilled by the opportunities of the land and culture. He traveled extensively throughout South Korea and the Far East, enjoying trips to Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Japan, in addition to his annual excursions to Thailand. Hiking in the mountains, traveling to the beaches, scuba diving, studying Tae Kwon Do, teaching his eager students, socializing with fellow teachers, and watching Korean baseball were among his joys. One friend referred to Jesse as "the most loyal friend anyone could wish for;" a hiking club companion said that Jesse was a strong and considerate hiker who "had no fear of the mountain and was always there to lend a steadying hand if someone was having trouble". His parents and brother were able to meet many of Jesse's wonderful friends on their long journey to Korea to bring Jesse home. Those visits will console them for years to come. At the time of his death, Jesse was to begin a new job teaching English as Professor Dopson at Hansung University in Seoul. Jesse leaves behind his heart-broken parents, Christine Hogan and Larry Dopson; his younger brother, Christopher Peace Corps Lesotho, Africa; his grandmother, Anne Hogan Melbourne FL; many loving aunts and uncles, Dr. Lorraine Dopson Dr. Richard Arazi, Bismarck, Eileen Goff Dr. Bruce, San Diego, California, Dr. Warren Dopson Monica, Twin Falls, Idaho, Robin Brosseau Jon, Drayton, James Hogan Deb, Flagler Beach, Florida, Patricia Hogan Revers, Melbourne, Florida, and Elizabeth Hogan Barksdale, Tucson, Arizona; and cousins Jennifer Jensen; Deborah Henrickson, Emily Brosseau, Jeremy Revers, Brian, Shannon, and Michael Barksdale, Alex Arazi, and Nicholas, Quinn, Aidan, and Zander Dopson. Jesse was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Maj. Gen. H. Leon Hogan III, and his paternal grandparents, Dr. Fred and Helen Dopson of Jamestown. Condolences may be sent to Parkway Funeral Home, the Bismarck Tribune online guest book at obits@bismarcktribune.com or jessedopson@gmail.com. Memorials may be made to St. Mary's Central High School Foundation. As one of Jesse's close friends wrote, "the world is not the same without Jesse".

Jesse Dopson

June 21, 1977 - November 24, 2006