The Marshalltown community is in mourning after the passing of Al Hoop, the longtime Fourth Ward city councilor and Bobcat baseball coach who was recently re-elected to his fifth term in office, on Wednesday evening at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. He was 78.
After Hoop’s death, tributes poured in from city and civic leaders who reflected on the impact he made through his involvement with the council, Bobcat sports programs and the local American Legion as a proud U.S. Army veteran.
Hoop’s son Brian, a Physical Education teacher and baseball coach in North Carolina who graduated from MHS in 1996, called his father “the epitome of Marshalltown.”
“I try to be more like him every day that I coach. I think what you’ll see, in this next week or so, is just how many people’s lives he touched, and that’s probably one of the legacies he left with me,” Brian said. “People may not always remember what you taught them, but they’re always gonna remember how you made them feel. And (he was) just the epitome of selfless, the epitome of work ethic and family. All of those things embodied him, and as I’ve grown up, I’ve tried to do it more and more like he did.”
Randy Kessler, an Air Force veteran and retired Marshalltown police officer, served as the commander of the Frank Glick American Legion Post 46 for eight years, and he described Hoop, a 1964 MHS graduate and Emerson/Fisher retiree, as a great friend who he loved to sit and talk to, especially if there was a sporting event on television.
“He was a huge supporter of the community. He was a huge supporter of the Legion. He was a really patriotic guy. You know, I retired from the police department, and he was a huge supporter of the police department. He supported the city. He loved serving the city on the city council,” Kessler said. “He was a great sports fan and a great sports supporter… He loved to cheer for Iowa State. Al was just a great guy.”
In addition, he was quick to offer his assistance or make a financial contribution — without being asked — whenever the Legion needed a boost on a fundraising project. At the time of his passing, Hoop was actually serving as one of the vice commanders of Post 46 and had been elected to the executive board.
“It wasn’t just us. It wasn’t just the Legion. He did that with everything he was passionate about, and he did that as a friend too,” Kessler said. “I remember one time, I bought a new tractor for my house and I needed a trailer to go pick the thing up in Waverly. He’s like ‘Hey, come get my trailer and go pick that tractor up.’ He was always there for you.”
Several of Hoop’s fellow city councilors and Mayor/Acting City Administrator Joel Greer shared their memories with the T-R on Thursday. Greer, like Kessler, complimented him on his seemingly endless generosity.
“He donated quietly to so many things. Car seats for kids were a favorite, and recently, he helped the coliseum committee co-chaired by his high school classmate, Vic Hellberg. During the fundraising concert, Al pulled out his checkbook and made a personal contribution that coaxed other concertgoers to find their checkbooks, too,” Greer said. “Al’s family came first, but sports came in a very close second. He took pride in the number of athletes he had helped come along In their sports. His loyalties extended to his work life and military service as well. He was a rather quiet but multifaceted, loyal (and) thoughtful man.”
Greer also reflected on their early days as elected officials.
“Al had been on the council for a few years before me, but he immediately took me under his wing. Though he consistently voted against granting liquor permits, he did join (Bob) Schubert and me and staff for a beer after council meetings, where we talked of things like family and sports instead of city politics,” he said. “Years after we had served together, we discovered each of us had the same routine of driving around the city to look at building projects each weekend. I wish now we had carpooled for that. Marshalltown and I will miss him dearly.”
First Ward Councilor and Mayor Pro Tem Mike Ladehoff expressed a similar sentiment.
“I have had the privilege of working with Al Hoop over the past three and a half years. He represented Ward Four very well as evidenced by his many re-elections,” he said. “He was always available for advice and cared about all of Marshalltown deeply. I also considered him a friend. My heart goes out to his family and friends at this time. He will be missed.”
T-R FILE PHOTO — Hoop, left, presented the Donna Hoop Memorial Scholarship to MHS graduate Tyler Dunham in July of 2021.
Fellow Councilor Barry Kell traced his time with Hoop back to his days as a youngster in Marshalltown and spoke of the evolution of their relationship over the years.
“I have been fortunate to see Coach Hoop through multiple lenses. His presence at the Little League was always known during my youth. As I transitioned to high school, Al Hoop became Coach Hoop through his passion for developing both athletes and young men as a coach in basketball and baseball. That passion carried to his last days from his countless, often anonymous, contributions to the community and via his committed service on the City Council,” Kell said. “I still refer to him as Coach. Even though our interactions moved beyond athletics, the respect he commanded and guidance he still provided me is that of a coach. I will miss our conversations and the calm reassurance he provided to me in the council chambers. His legacy is here to stay, and I am fortunate I will continue to work with two of his sons at Emerson. We all are better because of Coach Hoop and now have the privilege of carrying on what he started decades ago.”
Second Ward Councilor Mark Mitchell described Hoop as “a great man” who was soft spoken and loved Marshalltown with everything he had.
“Those of us that knew Coach aka Councilor Hoop celebrate his life and the profound impact that he has had on our lives. We appreciate the direction where he has been guiding our city for years, striving to always be better,” Mitchell said. “He worked diligently through the difficult years to help us rebuild from the devastating effects of a tornado and derecho while juggling the increasing demands of being the Ward Four city councilor. Outside of the council chambers, his love for anything to help children from lessons on the baseball field to providing car seats, toys, money, his time and so much more for our community shouts hero to me. You will be missed, my friend.”
In conclusion, Mitchell asked Marshalltonians to honor Hoop’s legacy by striving to do better, be inclusive, be kind to each other and live by the Golden Rule.
At-Large Councilor Gary Thompson characterized his 20-year friendship with Hoop as one of “love and tolerance” and noted that they first met because Thompson’s son Zach was a gifted baseball player.
“Al, being the coach he was, took an instant liking to Zach. It was obvious to me that Al loved Zach. Later when Zach played Division I baseball, I think Al was as proud as I was,” Thompson said.
From there, the two bonded at the auctions they both attended, and Thompson joked that Hoop learned more about his “weird sense of humor,” and Thompson in turn learned to love the man he would eventually serve with on the city council.
“Later, when I was elected to the city council, Al, more than anyone, knew what to expect from me. He knew that tolerance was the key to our relationship and our honest and spirited discussions before and after the meetings,” Thompson said. “I just want everyone to know I loved Al. Al loved my son, and because of his love for my son, Al tolerated me. Al truly loved Marshalltown — the good and the bad. The only reason his heart failed was because he gave so much of it away.”
Throughout his tenure on the council, Hoop was a staunch advocate for the Marshalltown Police and Fire departments, and Police Chief Mike Tupper reciprocated that appreciation in a statement shared with the T-R Thursday.
“I am heartbroken to hear of Coach Hoop’s passing. Al was a community champion and a friend to all who crossed his path. He loved Marshalltown, and we loved him,” Tupper said.
In his most recent race, Hoop ran for re-election unopposed in 2023 and won with 386 votes.
Steve Hanson, who served as the head baseball coach at MHS for 26 years, spoke of the impact Hoop made both through the time he dedicated to the program and the annual Donna Hoop Memorial Scholarship, which has been awarded to a Bobcat baseball player since 2016 as a tribute to his late wife.
“When I think of Al — in general — he was a very loyal, caring and generous friend. In looking back at the impact Al had with baseball in Marshalltown, it’s important to note the many levels and capacities he was involved with,” Hanson said. “Some of his work was as a paid coach, but a bunch of it was as a volunteer. Either way, for the better part of 50 years, Al Hoop was devoted to making baseball in Marshalltown a positive experience for those involved.”
In the 1980s and ’90s, Hoop was heavily involved in the Marshalltown Little League both as a coach and as a member of the board of directors, even serving as president when Marshalltown’s team went all the way to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. He then moved up to the high school level as a volunteer coach for three years before becoming head coach of the freshman team in 2001. He retired from high school coaching after the 2009 season but remained active in the program, eventually returning to serve as assistant coach of the seventh grade team for seven years beginning in 2012. Hanson credited Hoop with singlehandedly funding the landscape reconstruction of the Bobcat baseball batting tunnels in 2013.
“I’m certain there are many other philanthropic endeavors Al was involved with in the community that fly far under the radar because nobody hears about them. Al was born and raised in Marshalltown and always carried a pride for the city that extended much deeper than most people may know,” Hanson said. “He was a very humble guy who would give you the shirt off his back without hesitation. As far as baseball in the city goes, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who has given more time, money and effort to the sport than Al Hoop.”
On Thursday afternoon, Mayor and Acting City Administrator Joel Greer told the T-R that Monday night’s regular council meeting will be held as previously scheduled. So far, there has been no indication on whether the now vacant Fourth Ward seat will be filled via an appointment or a special election. A public viewing and visitation will be held at the MHS Roundhouse from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday night followed by a celebration of life service at 7 p.m. and the family receiving friends from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.