It is with sad hearts that our family announces the passing of Elaine J. Hopkins on February 15, 2021. Elaine was born on January 28, 1931 in Canova, South Dakota and moved to Vallejo, California in her teens. She graduated from Vallejo high school. It was here where she met her first husband, Clayton Johnson, a Navy man. They moved quite a bit around the United States while growing their family. She later settled in San Diego, California where she met her 2nd husband in 1980. After retiring from the Rueben H. Fleet Space Theatre in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, where she was a Supervisor they moved to Las Vegas, Nevada until they joined 2 of her daughters in Colleyville, Texas in 2015. She was preceded by her parents, Roy and Matilda Robinson, brother, Merle (Jim) Robinson, sister, LaVon Whitethorn, and son, Ronald Johnson. She will be missed by her husband of 28 years Donald Hopkins, sister Lois Richwine, her three daughters, Jeannee Christ, Deanna Marsh and her husband Skip, and Leanna Nalley and her husband Bill, six grandchildren and ten great grandchildren, along with 3 step-children, eight step-grandchildren and nineteen great step-grandchildren and countless extended family and friends. Elaine was an extraordinary woman who touched the lives of those who were blessed to know her. She and Don were fortunate to travel the world extensively, and especially enjoyed cruises. She loved living in Vegas where they played tennis year-long (well into their eighties) drove around their community in their golf cart and could play the slots and blackjack at nearby casinos. She has been described as sophisticated, elegant, poised, quick-witted, and fun by friends and family. She loved well and was well loved. She will be greatly missed; she has earned her wings, and they are golden. Due to the pandemic, Elaine chose not to have a celebration of life service. In lieu of flowers please consider a contribution in her memory to the American Cancer Society. by following this link www.donate3.cancer.org [donate3.cancer.org].
54 Responses
Mom you were the one constant in my life. You were always there when no one else was. You were the only person in the world who knew me my entire life.
And, It occurred to me last Monday, that it was my first night without you – for the rest of my life. I am more alone now than ever and I miss you terribly.
She was a mom, a grandma and a great grandma. Was a great grandma to me but she felt like a close grandma. She always made sure that I had fun or had food in my stomach. I had a lot of fond memories of her and I know that she is with family right in heaven. I know your reading this right now and I’m happy that you got to live so many healthy years, you will always be remembered as a strong, tennis playing, swimming and badass great grandma to me. Love you say hi to Ronnie and Jesus for me.
❤️ She loved you very much Niko
Thank you Brian for your kind and loving words for grandma. You were very very special to her; she cherished her memories of you when you were little and she would take you bowling. She was proud of the man that you became. God bless you and keep you always
We miss her too, it’s still surreal to me and I think I hear her often. I also think of something funny or want to tell her something, then realize I can’t. 💔 you aren’t alone. XOXOXO
I did not know Elaine well, but I knew her children and how important she was to them. She was loved and respected. She will never be forgotten. What a wonderful family she raised. She lived her bucket list!
❤️ Thank you. She certainly did.
Elaine, you were like a second mom to me. I spent many days in your home and you always treated me with love, respect and kindness. You taught me how to make delicious fudge, baked apples, and let me spend many nights at your house. You took me along with your beautiful daughters, my best friend’s ; Leanna and Deanna to
The Officers Club to go swimming, and allowed me to go to their dance lessons to watch them dance, some of my fondest memories. You were an extraordinary woman, mother and friend to all who were blessed to know you. You live on in all of the hearts who’s lives you have touched, and there are so many. . May you RIP until we meet again in heaven. I love you! My sincerest sympathy in the loss of your beautiful, extraordinary, kind, loving, generous mother! She will never be forgotten. I will make a donation in her memory. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family in this most difficult time! Sincerely, Roberta Ott
❤️ Thank you Roberta, those are fond memories of mine as well, and she made them extra special!
My sweet and beautiful Elaine, there’s is void in my life without you now, but not in my heart. You loved me so much and are etched in my heart forever. Thank you for giving me the best soul sisters a girl could ever wish for. I will keep my promise to always be there for them and continue to make fun memories. Don is in good hand with us, and Kambria will always be reminded of how wonderful and fun her Gigi was. Bloody Mary’s, king crab legs and popcorn with apple slices won’t taste the same without you, but I’ll do my best to get through all that deliciousness 😉 It has been an absolute privilege and blessing having you in my life, and to be a very special part of yours. You are a rare gem and I miss you so much. Rest easy my angel for you are now at peace. See you in my dreams. I love you beyond the stars my sweet mama ❤️
❤️ Thank you Erika for all you have done for our family. You cooked delicious meals and brought it them so many, many times. You helped care for her whenever we needed you, without question. She loved you so very much and I thank you for being a part of her life.
We will forever remember the spark in your mother’s eye and are deeply saddened her her passing. Our condolences to your family during this difficult time. Cherish the memories of laughter, joy and love. A mother lives forever within our hearts.
❤️ Thank you Mike and Geri. We love you.
We will forever remember the spark in your mother’s eye and are deeply saddened her her passing. Our condolences to your family during this difficult time. Cherish the memories of laughter, joy and love. A mother lives forever within our hearts.
We will forever remember the spark in your mother’s eye and are deeply saddened over her passing . Our condolences to your family during this difficult time. Cherish the memories of laughter, joy and love. A mother lives forever within our hearts.
We will forever remember the spark In your mother’s eye and are deeply saddened over her passing. Our condolences to your family during these difficult times. Cherish the memories of laughter, joy and love. A mother lives forever within our hearts.
Mike and Geri
Jeannee, I am so sorry to hear that you lost your mother. I remember going to your home when we were 14 and 15 years old and being greeted by your mother with a smile. She always made me feel comfortable in your home and welcomed. No words can express the sadness in your heart nor replace the happiness she brought into your life. May her memories bring you peace and comfort. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this difficult time. Your friend always Kathy
Thank you Kathy for the kind words. I know my mother really loved you too. We did have a lot of fun back then. What wonderful memories we all shared. God bless and keep you always.
My whole life I looked forward to and cherished visits with Grandma. It’s already strange knowing she’s no longer a phone call away. I wish we could take all our loved ones with us on our own lifelong journeys… In my worst moments I feel frustrated and confused by death. In my best moments I understand it clearly and find the beauty in it – the proof that we are more than our physical bodies. I like to think Grandma’s spirit has returned to whatever mysterious and beautiful place it originated. I also like to think some of her spirit is running through me and my mom and aunts and cousins and grandfather – and each of us who were touched with her humor and way of being. I see bits of her when I look in the mirror. I feel her when I sip on some coffee. I definitely feel her when I wake myself up snoring, mouth agape 😉 There are no words to express how much I love this woman, how essential she’s been in my life. Like many of you, I am very much feeling loss, but slowly we will come to know the peace of her legacy. We will have many moments where we pause and smile to ourselves recalling a memory of her. We are all destined to leave some time, and I’m so grateful for how many years (and how many bowls of chip & dip) I got to share with this one. xoxo
❤️❤️❤️ She loved you so very much, and you’re right we got to love her all these many years, many more than some people are allowed. Wise words ❤️
I only met Elaine a couple of years ago when Andie and I started dating. They were a wonderful couple of years getting to know each other. Elaine was so welcoming of me to the family, made me feel right at home. Whether it was holiday visits, milestone parties, or long distance phone calls with Andie and I, she always had interesting stories to share and questions to ask! I particularly enjoyed when she would tell stories of her youth. Her smile will stick in my mind when I think of her. She will be missed but has a great family to represent her and all of her years. Love Always.
❤️ she loved your smile too James, and thought you and Andie are a perfect match.
Deanna, Skip & Family
Our hearts hurt even when we know heaven is more than we can imagine.
May your happy memories fill your hearts and God give you all peace.
Elaine was a beautiful lady that lived her life well and was blessed with a wonderful loving family!
Holding you all close in our thoughts and prayers🙏🏻
Sending our love ❤️
The Emmert family
❤️ Thank you Russ and Andrea. You know our pain, as yours were both so recent as well. It’s so hard to say goodbye, but know she is happy and pain free now.
Elaine was the nicest person. I never saw her yell or get mad at me or any other person. She was a wonderful mother and grandma. She will be missed by all who ever she met her. Sadly her life is over, but will never be forgotten. I will release some balloons this week to remember this wonderful person I was blessed to have in my life. Love u grandma forever. May we meet again one day.
❤️ Thank you Brian. As her first grandchild, you held a very special place in her heart!
Thank you Brian for your kind and loving words for grandma. You were very very special to her; she cherished her memories of you when you were little and she would take you bowling. She was proud of the man that you became. God bless you and keep you always
I always enjoyed my time with Grandma Elaine. We had so much fun shopping together and talking about all the pretty things. I admired her taste and remember being in awe that everything she owned was beautiful. She always had a smile on her face and was very kind and loving. She will be missed but never forgotten.
❤️ Thank you. She loved to have all of you grandkids out to visit. I know I was there a few times and it was fun to see her plan excursions and have it be one big slumber party!
I was privileged to have elaine as my stepmother for 28 years. She welcomed all of us with open arms and an open heart and for that we will forever be grateful. She loved us and treated us as if we were her own children ,loved our children and our grandchildren with the same open-heart. She was so much fun and I absolutely loved hanging out with her. She taught me that popcorn was acceptable for any meal of the day and that there was nothing greater than a hotdog and a bottle of beer. She taught me that you needed to be chilled to the bone and then you get to have hot chocolate with schnapps in it.!!! Every time I have that I think of her. She taught me how to reheat pizza so it tasted like we had just got it delivered. She taught me how to go forward after losing my daughter because she was the only one who could truly understand what it was like to lose a child. I am happy that she is reunited with her precious Ronnie and I know that she is over the moon to be with him again. I will miss her advice on how to struggle through the rest of my life without my daughter and I will constantly have to look back and remember her advice to get through. She was truly a mother to me and the wonderful thing about her is she liked my mother, sitting down with her and having a glass of wine and conversation. What a wonderful lady. My father loved her beyond all reason and they had so many happy years together and he will be lost without her. You can tell the kind of person she was by looking at the children she raised ,they to have her open heart. The first time I met Leanna she greeted me with a glass of wine and a toast to her new sister. I felt loved and excepted right away. Getting to know my stepsisters was such a privilege since I’m the only girl in the family and I could right away see their mother in them which is why they are so special. The fact that they loved my father and took such good care of him is another testament to the person that Elaine was. To my children and grandchildren she was never their step grandmother she was just grandma and they loved her so much. I cannot say enough about how much she meant to me, the difference that she made in my life ,my father’s life and how much I loved her. Elaine you lived a long life ,had lots of struggle but lots of joy as well. You brought joy to so many people. You will be missed forever but we are all happy that your struggle is over, that you are free of pain and that you are with Ronnie again. Please continue to watch over all of us and make sure that you give Jennifer and my mom a hug for me and tell them how much they are missed
❤️ Thank you Rhonda, she loved you too. And I have enjoyed getting to know my step siblings as well, and love you all.
To Elaine & her wonderful family from Patty Hopkins – I bless the day Elaine joined our family – she and Don visited our home many times over the years and I especially treasure all the time she and I spent walking our neighborhood almost every day, talking about everything under the sun. Elaine loved to shop so we spent lots of fun hours at the mall, usually including a ladies’ lunch with a glass of wine. Terry & I had many wonderful dinners out with Don & Elaine – it was always fun to discover a small local place that wasn’t crowded. Our family visited them in San Diego in 1985 and I remember a minor earthquake hit one night – Don called us at his condo from Elaine’s house to make sure we felt it. Terry’s Grandma Umbenhower was with us and was ready to go home after the quake! 🙂 We also visited them in Las Vegas many times, our kids John & Beth got to drive the golf cart around the neighborhood. So many wonderful memories of Hopkins family reunions in Rathbun, Iowa also – everyone looked forward to seeing Don & Elaine. She was one of a handful of “role model” women in my life – very stylish, always well-put-together and just the nicest lady you’d ever meet. We all loved her very much; she will be fondly remembered and greatly missed!
❤️ Thank you, she loved those shopping days too, and spoke of them often.
Elaine was a beautiful and gracious lady. One of my mom’s close cousins and everyone was excited when she visited. I’m sorry for your loss.
❤️ Thank you very much Marji.
Elaine was my step grandma, I remember meeting her for the first time when I was five. She came to visit Missouri with grandpa. They were not married, but I had already decided she was going to be a grandma to me. I followed her around and barely left her side. She had a special fun way about her and I always looked forward to spending time with her. She loved that I’m part of a foundation who helps children fighting cancer and was always very encouraging. We loved her and she will be missed greatly. I hope her children find peace knowing even though she’s not with us, she is with Ronnie.
❤️ Thank you, she loved you too.
My grandma was one of the most quick-witted, poised, and loving people I’ve ever known and I truly feel as though it’s an honor to be a part of her family. She was an incredibly strong and beautiful woman who loved just as passionately as she lived. She was always completely true to herself and put her heart into everything she did.
To say that she saw a lot of history in the making would be putting it lightly. She lived through more significant historical moments and saw more progress toward equality than any other generation. She was born just a few months before the Great Depression began, and she witnessed the end of prohibition, the rise and fall of Nazism, Brown v Board of Education, integration, and the election of America’s first African American president, the construction and demolition of the Berlin Wall, the moon landing, the birth of the internet, 9/11, a global pandemic, and the election of America’s first female Vice President.
I am heartbroken by her passing and feel that a part of me is now missing, but as I think back on what she lived through and all of our memories, I can’t help but smile and feel so incredibly proud of the woman I was lucky enough to call my grandma.
❤️ we all felt so loved by her, didn’t we?!
Devon, thank you. This is a wonderful tribute to my mom, your Grandmother, who was so very proud of you and loved you deeply. You are right, hers was a life well-lived and she is now enjoying her new life in heaven with those that went before her. I love you. ❤️
I love her smile, her wit and her kindness. So sorry for your loss. Sending all of you virtual hugs. She will be missed.
Thank you Debra.
I am the luckiest girl to have had three grandmas in my life. Two by blood, and Elaine-my hip, classy, fashionable step-grandma. She always treated the nine cousins like we were her own and that we were all special. Every June Grandpa & Elaine would visit the Kansas City area before heading to the annual Iowa Hopkins’ reunion, and the whole family would descend upon them talking, laughing, eating, and saying twenty minute long goodbyes. We are a loud, big family and we were proud to have her as a Hopkins.
Later on as an adult I truly loved getting to sit and visit with her and her family on my trips to Texas.
My favorite memories will always be of watching Grandpa & her twirling around dance floors, sharing milkshakes across a kitchen table, and driving a golf cart to get ice cream cones at the local shop.
❤️ Beth, thank you. We enjoyed getting to know you as well on your visits and hope you still call us when you’re in town. You’re also correct, they sure could dance! Fun to watch them.
Grandma, I will miss you so much. I will always remember your smile, generosity and the twinkle in your eyes. I will always remember how excited I used to get as a boy in the anticipation of going to your house in San Diego and in Las Vegas for how much fun we were going to have together. Even as a child I could feel how much love you had to give and how much joy you brought to my life. You were always a ray of light and someone I could always talk to, whenever I had the chance to speak with you it was the highlight of my day.
When you moved to Texas, I was so excited because it meant that I had the opportunity to spend more quality time with you. I am so glad you were able to share your love and joy with Shalayne, Kenton, and Everett just like you did with me.
You were the perfect role model and are one of the most important people in my life who I’ve always admired. I hope that one day I can be as kind, loving, and selfless as you. There is a hole in my heart, but I know over time that hole will be filled with happy memories of you to smile back on.
I will always cherish the time we spent together and am heartbroken that I will not see you again. Even though there will not be any new memories to make, your memory and loving spirit will continue to live inside my family.
I love you and know that you are at peace and are smiling with Ronnie watching over us from heaven.
Love,
Alec
❤️ Alec, she loved you fiercely and thought you were the funniest little boy. She saw that in Kenton and Everett. She had so much fun when you Shalayne and the boys would come over. I know she is definitely smiling down on you.
After reading all the wonderful memories that family and friends shared with Elaine, it shows that she loved deeply and was loved dearly. What more could you want in this short life we live? I was fortunate to be loved by Elaine and I loved her. I loved her laugh and the way she said my grandpa’s name with her South Dakota accent. Her love of chips always amazed me because she never gained a pound. I have many fond memories of our time together. She was a wonderful grandma and will be missed terribly. This is not goodbye, it is so long. Until we meet again.
❤️ Thank you Dawn, you’re definitely correct she was loved and loved dearly.
Dearest Aunt Elaine.
So many memories. And so much love you shared with me.
Thank you for making me feel like family. Like I had a family. Like I was part of your family.
Much love, Kathy
Deanna / Leanna / Jeanie and family – my heart is broken with sorrow. I will miss your mother deeply and forever. Nothing can compare to losing a mother, but the passing of your mother saddens me as if my own mother has gone. Love to all, Kathy
❤️Thank you Kathy, she felt the same about you. We all love you too!
Dear Jeannee, Deanna, Leanna and Family,
I miss your Mom so very much. Even though we were apart as we became adults, I could always rely on her. Growing up during the 30’s and 40’s was tough, but I knew my big sister was right there with me through the happiness and struggles we all endured. If I needed guidance on clothes, boys or on being a new mother myself, your Mom was there for me. She was there (as a teenager) assisting Father in raising me. Elaine was someone to look up to, from her style, to her love of life and for always kicking my butt when I gained weight! As we got older and we had our weekly chats, we would reminisce about the wonderful times we had growing up in South Dakota and California, our secret signals to each other or trying to pull one over Father and getting away with it too! Elaine will remain in my heart forever.
Love Aunt Lois
Thank you Aunt Lois. Mom looked so forward to your weekly chats and I want you to know that you helped her through these last couple of tough months. She was so excited the last time you called. She wasn’t able to speak but it was quite apparent to us. We love you too. XOXOXO
I don’t quite know how to start, but here I go. I have always admired your wit, your laugh, your loving, and giving nature. You have always been someone in my life who I’ve looked up to. Visiting you in Vegas, waking up to you making me breakfast, to taking my brother and I out for a ride in your golf cart- the memories are far too many to count. You taught me that utensils go straight up in the “dishwarsher” rather than straight down. I will never forget how loving your hugs were. And, I suppose, the memories I hold on to are ones I will never forget. I am so grateful to have been apart of your life. Wherever you are, I hope that you have found peace. I will miss you greatly and while I’m sad you’re gone, I’m grateful to know you aren’t in pain anymore. I love you more than you will ever know. Thank you for everything, nana. You are one of a kind.
Shekinah, she loved you very much. She will most definitely be missed by us all. XOXOXO