Dates
William Thomas "Tom" Hopkins went home to Heaven on July 4, 2022.
Tom is survived by his wife of fifty-five years, Eileen, daughter Kristy Wells and husband Wes, daughter Lesley Aiken and husband Chris, as well as grandchildren Hannah Wells, Walker Wells, Will Aiken, and Avery Aiken.
Tom was born November 15, 1943, in Monroe, Louisiana, to Walter Dominic Hopkins and Charlene Bannister Hopkins Kleger. He maintained his love for his home state, primarily by rarely missing an episode of Swamp People. His family moved to Florida when he was in high school. He attended Pompano Beach High, played football and baseball, and met his future wife, Margaret Eileen Floyd. Tom graduated from Pompano Beach in 1961.
After graduation, Tom immediately began his military service in the Air Force. He served from 1961-64 and spent most of his time stationed at Amarillo Air Force Base. He returned to Florida and married Eileen in 1966. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in Finance in 1969, shortly before the birth of his first daughter, Kristin Lyn. Daughter Lesley Ann followed five years later to make the family complete.
Tom worked for many excellent companies during his career as a financial manager and controller, including IBM and Motorola. He had the privilege of working for the Southern Baptist Annuity Board. He completed his career in finance at MHMR of the Concho Valley.
Tom loved football, baseball, and golf. He loved singing in the choirs of the churches he attended, including First Baptist Ft. Lauderdale, First Baptist Euless, and First Baptist Dallas. But what Tom truly loved and excelled at was being a wonderful husband and father and being "Pop" to his grandchildren. Tom was an excellent grandfather who attended baseball games, soccer games, swim meets, tennis matches, school programs, graduations, and who made himself available for long talks on the back porch. Pop was always there when he was needed, and his family knows they were deeply loved and important to him.
Tom also had a great sense of humor, which he maintained to the very end. He never missed an opportunity to make a joke, and he gave his caretakers and nurses a hard time in the name of fun. We thank these wonderful people for joking right along with him.
Our family wishes to thank Tanya Solsbery and the excellent staff at The Crest for their loving assistance, Dr. Raj Cheruku and Shannon Oncology staff for their attentive care, the nurses and physical therapists at Enhabit Home Health, and Debbie Davis and Tammy Celaya of St. Gabriel's Hospice who devotedly saw Tom through to the end.
Tom loved Jesus Christ as his Savior, and his eternal assurance was his home in Heaven. We will honor him at a private family memorial service at Harper Funeral Home on July 20. Chaplain Mike McCravy will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, Tom requested that donations be made to The American Cancer Society.