Charles Freeman “C.F.” Hopkins, Jr.

Charles Freeman “C.F.” Hopkins, Jr., 60, of Morganton, NC died unexpectedly on Tuesday, April 26, 2016.  Born in Winston-Salem, NC on October 23, 1955, he was the only child of Dorothy Sink Hopkins Bedsaul and the late Charles Freeman Hopkins, Sr.  He grew up as an active member of Hopewell Moravian Church in Winston-Salem.

C.F. was a graduate of Parkland Senior High School in Winston-Salem, NC and NC State University in Raleigh, NC, from which he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Wood Science and Technology in 1978.  He began his career in the hardwood lumber brokerage business in that same year at Hardwoods of Morganton in Morganton, NC.  He was owner and president of that same company at the time of his death.  C.F. liked to say he sat at the same desk (although several different chairs because they wore out) for all of those 38 years.  Mr. Hopkins had a strong work ethic instilled in him by his parents.  He loved his work, loved to sell, and loved arbitrating deals, all the time doing the complicated higher math in his head.  It was more like a game to him than actual work.  He was always a steady and consistent provider for his family.

A loving and generous husband, father, son, godfather, foster-dad, son-in-law, brother-in-law, nephew, cousin, uncle, and friend, he never met a stranger.  He loved people and drew energy from interacting with people from all walks of life.  C.F. will be remembered for a limitless capacity for friendship and his unselfish service to others.  He had a creative and never-ending, many times irreverent, sense of humor and loved living life on his own terms as one continuous adventure.  If someone was not a first-person witness to his adventures, he happily shared stories about those adventures with almost everyone with whom he came into contact.

He was a patriotic American citizen who was not afraid to share his unwavering conservative views without concern for who may agree or disagree.  To borrow the exact words of one of his oldest and dearest friends, C.F. wore his politics on his sleeve and also on the back of his Wagoneers.

C.F. loved traveling, fishing, hiking, running his canine kids at the local community college property, and walking his dogs with his wife and daughter.  He grew up fishing with his father and shared his love of the sport with his friends, whether it be on Leibharts’ pond, Lake James, the National Seashore of NC, or fifty miles out in the Gulf Stream of the Atlantic Ocean.  In recent years he spent time fishing with his mother and step-father in Winston-Salem, and hours fishing with his daughter at the McMahons’ pond.

He was an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Morganton for over twenty-five years.  Prior to that, in 1983, he was married to Laurie in the chapel of that church.  He was a caring, supportive, loving, and devoted husband to his wife.  C.F.’s daughter was the light of his life.  His dogs, starting with Rhiannon in 1983, and subsequently also Courtney, Cooper, Cassie, Sadie, and finally Piper, were his loving and faithful canine companions.  Sadie and Piper survive him, and their lives will not be nearly as fun without him.  He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends, several of whom were friends throughout his years within the hardwood lumber business.

Mr. Hopkins is survived by his wife of 32 years, Laurie Hughes Hopkins; and his beloved daughter, Brianna Divine Justice Hopkins.  In addition to his mother, he also leaves behind his paternal cousins, Libby Cox and her husband, Harold; Jeff and Nancy Cox, and their children, Emma and Tyler Cox; Sean and Andrea Cox, and their son, John Cox, all of Winston-Salem, NC; Kathy Merritt Robinson, son, Ken James Carter and twin-grandchildren, Avary Louise Carter and Sarah Isabelle Carter, all of Atlanta, GA; John and Mary Anne Merritt, and their children, Ashleigh Merritt and John Austin Merritt, and grandchild, Camdyn Martin, all of Winston-Salem, NC.  Also surviving are his maternal aunt, Evelyn Suttle, and his first cousin, Linda Suttle Rich and her husband, Joey, and their children, Joshua Evan Rich (C.F. and Laurie’s godson) and his fiancée, Tasha Fulk, Hanna Rich Leonard and her husband, Cody Leonard; and his maternal uncle, Fred Sink and his wife, Sylvia, and first cousins, Anita, John, and Samuel Sink, and their children.

In addition, he is survived by many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews, including Kimberly Schroeder Wilson and her husband, Gordon Leroy “Tim” Wilson, Jr. of Sioux City, IA, and their children, nephew Chadwick Lee Desy and his wife, Anne, of Chicago, IL, special nieces, Reyn Wilson Myers and husband, Tom Myers, of Nashville, TN, Dana Marie Wilson and her fiancé, Josh Lewis, of Charleston, SC; Kelly Schroeder-Kubly, Jamie Schroeder Trobaugh of Sioux City; Colleen Marie Francis of San Diego, CA; Vaughn Maxson Francis and his wife, Cynthia, and their children, Colin Francis, Micahlyn Francis Vaage and her husband, Ben, Brienne Francis, and Karsten Francis, all of Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN; Renee Francis Conrad and her husband, Ron, nephew, Devin Paul Francis, all of San Diego; Vance Francis and his wife, Debbie, and their children, Caleb, Jared, and Shaelyn Francis of Hood River, OR; Victor Francis and his wife, Rosa, and their daughter, Victoria; Val Francis and his wife, Susan, and their children, Hannah and Rebekah Francis, all of San Diego; David Francis, Nicole Francis Wellman, all of San Diego, CA; and numerous other nieces, nephews, and several great-nieces and great-nephews.

He is also survived by a step-father, Jesse Henry James; step-sisters, Lorrie James Holder and her husband, John, and Vicky Marie Smith, all of Winston-Salem; a step-father-in-law, Ralph Eldon Schroeder, Sr. and his wife, Lillian, of Sioux City, IA.

In addition to his father, C.F. was preceded in death by his brothers-in-law, David Allison Hughes, the Rev. Jeffrey Brent Schroeder, and Ralph Eldon Schroeder, Jr.; by both of his mothers-in-law, Donna Pitcock Schroeder and Joyce Landry Hughes Burdon; his father-in-law, John Clowes Hughes; his maternal uncle, Clyde Earl Suttle; and his two paternal aunts, Louise Hopkins Merritt and her husband, Gray, and Emma Hopkins Throckmorton and her husband, J.W.

The family will receive friends in C.F.’s hometown at Hayworth-Miller Funeral Home, 3315 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC from 4 – 5 p.m., Sunday, May 1, 2016.  The memorial funeral service will follow at 5 p.m. with the Rev. Jack T. Nance officiating.

A memorial funeral service will also be held at 11 a.m., Friday, May 6, 2016 in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church, 100 Silver Creek Road, Morganton, NC with the Rev. Michael R. Bailey and the Rev. C. Adam Bowling officiating.  The family will receive friends at the church following the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to either First Presbyterian Church, 100 Silver Creek Road, Morganton, NC 28655 or to Burke County Friends for Animals, P.O. Box 1884, Morganton, NC 28680.

Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.