Roy A. Hopkins

Roy A. Hopkins, of Gravel Pond, South Abington Twp, passed away on March 19th at age 98 - or as he would have said - in his 99th year, following hip replacement surgery. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 68 years, Marion (née Gahn) who broke our hearts by her departure in 2022.

Roy was the personification of the Greatest Generation. He was born on the family farm to the late Harry and Avis (Dorsheimer) Hopkins, and raised with his 8 siblings during the Great Depression. Immediately following his graduation from Newton - Ransom High School, he served our nation in WWII as a Sergeant  in the Army Air Corps. Having survived the war in the Pacific Theater, he almost lost his life on his very last day of service, getting hit by an army truck on the base in Fort Dix NJ, discharge papers in his hand. He went to college on the GI bill, graduating from Lehigh University with a degree in Electrical Engineering. His career included developing the electrical engineering curriculum at the International Correspondence School (ICS) and designing the lighting for the Lehigh Tunnel. He retired from Tobyhanna Army Depot at age 70.

In 1953, Roy married the love of his life, Marion, and together they built and established their life-long home on family farm land near Gravel Pond. True to his farming heritage, Roy became a Master Gardener and was an early adopter of organic gardening. His yard was filled with a large variety of vegetables, berry bushes, fruit trees, free- range chickens and a well-renowned compost pile. He wrote a column on gardening for the Abington Journal, and was an active member of the local gardening club. He loved flowers, especially yellow daffodils.

He embraced other hobbies with an equal amount of zeal. He was involved in ham radio, achieving a Life Time Service award under his call signal W3TWV and handle "Hoppie". He was an avid stamp collector and also kept a daily weather journal for 40 years. In his later years, he and Marion took up ballroom dancing as members of Ballroom I Dance Studio, dancing their way well into their 90s.

In addition to serving our Country, Roy served the community in many ways.  A long- time member of Trinity Lutheran Church, he served as an usher and superintendent of Sunday School. He was an election poll worker, and was judge of Elections. Having a rare blood type, he donated blood at every opportunity until he was told he had to stop due to his age.

In addition to his wife Marion, he was preceded in death by his sisters Marion Cooley, Mildred Pretzer, Francis Babb and Helene Hopkins and brothers Robert (Bob) and Edward Hopkins.

He is survived by his sister Ruth Warburton (Tunkhannock) and brother Bruce Hopkins (Wyomissing), his 3 daughters Barbara Hopkins (Robin Woodbury) of Vernon CT; Sarah Prawdzik (Doug) of South Abington Twp and Kathleen Rundquist (Carl) of Chambersburg PA. He is also survived by 3 grandchildren, Allen (Josee), Karen and Erika, many nieces and nephews, including David and Leigh Hopkins who surrounded him with tender loving care on a daily basis the last several years of his life.

A funeral will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 205 West Grove Street, Clarks Summit, on Monday at 11 am, with services by Pastor George J. Mathews, Jr.. Interment with military honors to follow at Newton Cemetery, Newton Township. A viewing will be held on Sunday from 2 pm to 4 pm at the Lawrence E. Young Funeral Home and Cremation Services Inc., 418 S. State Street, Clarks Summit.

The family asks that any donations be sent to Trinity Lutheran Church, PO Box 544 Clarks Summit 18411.