Shirley Ann Hopkins

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Shirley Ann Hopkins

January 9, 1942 ~ June 7, 2019

Remembering…

Shirley Ann Hopkins, 77, passed away peacefully in her sleep on June 7, 2019 at 4:24 p.m. while undergoing a surgery to repair her heart at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City.

She was born to Edward and Dorothy Higgins in Cincinnati, Ohio on January 9, 1942. Shirley graduated from Mount Notre Dame High School in 1960. On March 3, 1962, she married the love of her life, Philip Vern Hopkins, whom she met while attending the University of Cincinnati. The couple had three children:  Melissa (Clyne), John and Mark. The children, along with their father, Philip, are all survivors who will dearly miss their departed mother and wife. She is also survived by Melissa’s husband, Daniel; John’s wife, Mishele; and Mark’s wife, Jhoana.

Shirley relished her role as the glue that kept her close-knit family of five on track through the years. Some of her fondest memories were family camping trips with her children, and after they were grown, she and Philip enjoyed countless excursions all over the country and especially cherished their Paris vacation. Later in life, she turned decades of notes and photographs memorializing her family history into a series of self-published books. She was an avid writer and painter who also enjoyed her pet cats, bookkeeping, gardening, travel, cooking and just being a mom.

Survivors include her 11 grandchildren: Nathaniel, Christopher, Alisa, Shion, Kairi, Ira, Shane, Oscar, Anthony, Margret and Alexander; her sister, Kathy (Scott) Campbell; and brother-in-law, Frank (Marge) Hopkins. Plus many other friends and relatives through the years.

Shirley was preceded in death by her father Edward Higgins, and her mother Dorothy Higgins.

A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Olaf Catholic Church on June 22, 2019. Shirley will be interred at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio on September 21.

Thank you, God, for the gift of our mother.

 Online condolences can be left on Shirley Hopkins’ memorial tribute at www.russonmortuary.com. Memorial donations can be made to the American Heart Association in her name at www.heart.org.