Everett Allen Hopkins Jr. was born March 23, 1942 at Fort Thompson, SD to Everett Hopkins Sr. and Margaret (Fleury) Hopkins.  He attended school at Fort Thompson through the eighth grade and graduated from Pukwana High School in Pukwana, SD.

On May 28, 1960, Everett was united in marriage to Florence “Tootsie” Pazour and to this union eleven children were born.

He spent many years working and farming for Sanford Hrabe and later acquiring and purchasing his own farm ground.  Milking cows helped supplement the family’s income, along with the farming operation.  Farming was in his blood, as at the age of 80 he was still climbing into the tractor or combine to help with the farm work.

His winters were spent in the shop, with the wood stove cranked up, working on his woodworking projects, with many family members being the recipient of those gifts.

As his children were growing up, Sunday evenings were spent playing baseball and always giving someone who couldn’t hit the ball, the chance to have many tries, as he would say it was a foul or a tick.

Everett was a member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Pukwana before it closed.

Everett passed away at home surrounded by his wife and children on January 5, 2023.  Gratefully sharing his life are his wife of 62 years Florence Hopkins of Pukwana, SD; children Debi Ruiz, Rick Hopkins and wife Penny, Chuck Hopkins and wife Rochelle, Bonnie Luurs and husband Ron, Janet Petrak and husband Mel, Shelly Overweg and husband Larry, Rita Karlen and husband Brad, Danita Allen, Paula Creamer and husband Gene, Ron Hopkins and wife Dawn, and Tom Hopkins and wife Sara; 27 grandchildren; four step grandchildren; six great grandchildren; and six step great grandchildren.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Everett Sr. and Margaret Hopkins; sisters Delores Miller, Colleen Hendrickson, Tracy LaRoche, and Detta McGhee; a brother, Vilas Hopkins Sr; two grandsons Derek Hopkins and Ethen Hopkins; and two sons-in-law Jim Bunker and Billy Ruiz.

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