Prentis Ogden Hopkins

Hiqhliqhts of the Life of Prentiss O. Hopkins Prentiss Ogden Hopkins was born October 12, 1913 in Elizabethtown, Indiana second oldest child to John and Blanche Lynch Hopkins. Education was stressed early in his upbringing, and he and his sister Mary (who recently turned 103 years old) received their elementary education in Burnsville, Indiana. Long before integration was proposed, they were the only African American children educated in the same school as white students and became proficient in math, spelling and an avid reader of anything written, magazines, books, newspapers. He loved reading the "funny papers". ' The family moved to Blackjack, Missouri to a family farm in 1927. Where they endured the Depression Years with God's help raising all of their food. Generosity was extended to friends and neighbors in need. He accepted Christ early in life and joined with his parents the AME Zion Church. Ilis family settled in Robertson, Missouri in 1930 where he married Maggie Gaston and raised a family of 4 children, John, Maryer, Shirley and Dorris. Over the course of 50 years he built two homes for his growing family. He and his family joined McKinney Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, and served as a Steward, Trustee and Deacon in other churches he was affiliated with over the years. He was hired at Curtis Wright Aircraft as an airplane assembler and later worked for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft retiring in 1973 after 20 years. He received the 60 Year Gold Veteran's Badge from the Grand Lodge of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers for loyalty and service. His sense of civil duty and community pride was strong and he served as a member of the Robertson Volunteer Fire Department for many years. He witnessed and was a part of many events over the course of his life: the flight of Charles Lindbergh over the Mississippi River, the tragic death of Maj. Albert Bond Lambert's son who was killed in an airplane training flight over Black Jack, Missouri in 1929, working on the WPA right after the Depres- sion laying railroad track, digging sewers and laying cobblestones along the Mississippi River banks. Itis wife of 50 years, Maggie, and a son (John Sr.) and daughter (Shirley Lewis) preceded him in death as did his parents, two brothers, Elliott and Ozeanus and one sister, Louise Gibbs. He later moved to Berkeley, Missouri and several years later was married to Madie Myers where they joined the Shalom Church City of Peace in 2003. He cared for her until her passing. Reaching the age of 99 years old, 17 presidents have been elected and an African American President is in the White House in his lifetime which was an incredible joy for him to be able to see. He is the patriarch of 5 generations of the Hopkins family and leaves to mourn his passing: one sister, Mary Young, Munice, Indiana; two daughters, Maryer Jones-Thomas, Dorris Jackson; grandchildren. Brian Jones, Chris Jones, John Hopkins, Jr. (Tracey), Darlene Sanders (Michael), Lisa Hopkins, Ted Jackson, .Jr., Chanda Jackson, Daniel Jackson, Angela Hopkins, Daryl Hopkins (Dawn), Patricia Hopkins, Anthony Hopkins, James Lewis (Barby) (Texas); great-grandchildren, Zachary Kaczka (Oklahoma), Anthony Kaczka (Texas), David Lewis, Nathan Lewis (Texas), Christopher Hopkins, Matthew Hopkins, Nicholas Boles, Alyssa Boles, William Hopkins, Jacobi Hopkins, Stephen David Hopkins, Carl Hopkins, Shieekka Edwards; great-great-grandchiI- dren, Asia Hopkins, Marquis Hopkins, Cainin Boles; nieces, Luanna Page (Arizona), Dorothy Davis, Irene Griggs, Patty Suggs; nephews, William Gibbs, Robbie Gibbs, Larry Gibbs, George Harris; ~reat-nephew, Charles Young (AZ); great-great-great niece. Porsche Page (CA); daughter-in-law, Olevia Hopkins (John Sr.); sisters-in-law, Mattie Hughes and Hattie Gaston (Nevada); stepdaughters. Carolyn Mansco, Bernice Essex, Hameed Abdullah; stepsons, Willie Ray Bailey, Herman Myers; a host of cousins, numerous other relatives and friends. Intrerment:Vahalla Cemetery .