Leo Berry Hopkins

Leo Berry Hopkins was born on 28 February 1898 in Wallins Creek, Kentucky to James Arton Hopkins and Lucinda Howard. His middle name was for Cindy’s half-brother Newberry Howard, and he was called Berry by the family.¹Lula M. Hopkins (FL), letter to Jean Hopkins Carpenter, 25 Nov 1970; copy held privately by Linda McCauley, Mt. Vernon, KY; family information Lula gave included Berry’s birth date and place, named for mother’s half brother. Berry was about 3 years old when they moved to Rockcastle County.²Rockcastle Co., KY, Deed Book 20: 498-499, Joshua & S.Monie Dunn (grantor),  J. A. Hopkins (grantee), 16 Mar 1904; Rockcastle Co. Clerk, Mt. Vernon. He completed the 8th grade at Red Bud School. ³1940 U.S. census, Genesee Co., MI, population schedule, Flint, enumeration district (ED) 86-89, sheet 9A, household 182, Leo B. Hopkins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2442 : accessed 30 Jul 2012); from NARA microfilm 627, roll 1894. Elmer Dennis Hopkins, son of James Arton Hopkins and Lucinda Howard; told he and siblings attended Red Bud School.

Berry served in Company D, 17th Machine Gun Battalion, 6^th Division in the U.S. Army. He served in Europe during World War I, sailing to England from New York aboard the S/S Desna on 7 July 1918.⁴“U.S., Army Transport Service Arriving and Departing Passenger Lists, 1910–1939,” digital images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61174 : accessed 24 May 2022), Outgoing > Desna > 27 May 1918-Oct 1921 > image 95, entry for Berry Hopkins; from Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774–1985, Record Group 92, NARA, College Park, MD.

Berry married Marie Beedy on 10 February 1922 in Campbell County, Kentucky. They were married by a Justice of the Peace in Newport. They both lived in Ohio, he in Blanchester and she in Cincinnati. Berry’s occupation was farmer.⁵FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007734471 : accessed 27 Jun 2022), digital film 007734471, image 335, Campbell Co., KY, Marriages, 106: 308, Berry Hopkins & Marie Beaty, 10 Feb 1922.

Marie was born on 28 June 1900 in Budapest, Hungary to Joseph Beedy and Rosie Kamon.⁶Marian Hopkins, daughter-in-law of Leo Berry Hopkins and Marie Beedy; birth date and place. FamilySearch, digital film 007734471, image 335, Campbell Co., KY, Marriages, Hopkins-Beaty; birth place Hungary, parents Jos, & Rose Beaty. “Michigan, U.S., Death Records, 1867-1952,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60872 : accessed 29 Sep 2022), death certificate no. 17-434 (1924), Frank Beedy; from MI Dept of Community Health, Lansing; mother’s maiden name from Marie’s brother’s death certificate. Her family immigrated to the U.S. in 1901.⁷1930 U.S. census, Chippewa Co., MI, population schedule, Raber Township, enumeration district (ED) 17-12, sheet 4A, dwelling 56, family 62, Joe Beedy; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6224 : accessed 29 Sep 2022); from NARA microfilm T626; parent’s record shows immigrated 1901.

Berry and Marie had five children, all born in Genesee County, Michigan. James Leo was born on 21 August 1926, Ruth Marion on 5 January 1928, Richard Berry on 24 June 1930, Joyce Marie on 18 June 1938, and Jean Christine on 4 May 1944.⁸“U.S. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238 : accessed 20 Feb 2022), James Leo Hopkins, serial no. 539; from Records of the Selective Service System, 1926–1975, Record Group 147, NARA, St Louis, Missouri; Jim’s birth date and place. Sharp Funeral Home & Cremation Center (https://sharpfuneralhomes.com : accessed 24 Mar 2022), Ruth Marion Hawkins, obituary. Hoff Funeral & Cremation Service (https://hofffuneral.com : accessed 24 Mar 2022), Richard “Dick” Hopkins, obituary. Emma Ewers Taylor Hopkins, “Our Family History” (1969-1977); pg 10, Dick’s and Joyce’s middle names. Desnoyer Funeral Home (https://desnoyerfuneralhome.com : accessed 30 Sep 2022), Joyce M. Maurer, obituary. Sharp Funeral Home & Cremation Center (https://sharpfuneralhomes.com : accessed 30 Sep 2022), Jean Christine Carpenter, obituary.

By the time they settled in Flint in Genesee County, where Berry worked in the automobile industry, he was going by his first name, Leo.⁹Polk’s Flint City Directory 1925 (Detroit, MI: R. L. Polk & Co.), p. 346, entry for Leo and Marie Hopkins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469 : accessed 31 May 2021) > Michigan > Flint > 1925 > Flint, Michigan City Directory, 1925> image 173. MI Dept of Health and Human Services, death certificate no. 53838 (1988), Leo B. Hopkins; MI Vital Records Office, Lansing. He also bought houses to remodel and sell.¹⁰Uta Faye Hopkins McCauley, daughter of Elmer Dennis Hopkins, granddaughter of James Arton Hopkins & Lucinda Howard.

In 1925 and 1926, Berry and Marie lived at 310 W. Eldridge Avenue. According to the Flint City Directory, they lived at 322 W. Eldridge in 1927. That could have been a typo as they were back at 310 in 1928.¹¹Polk’s Flint City Directory 1925, p. 346, entry for Leo and Marie Hopkins. Polk’s Flint City Directory 1926 (Detroit, MI: R. L. Polk & Co.), p. 376, entry for Leo and Marie Hopkins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469 : accessed 31 May 2021) > Michigan > Flint > 1925 > Flint, Michigan City Directory, 1925> image 189. Polk’s Flint City Directory 1927 (Detroit, MI: R. L. Polk & Co.), p. 430, entry for Leo and Marie Hopkins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469 : accessed 31 May 2021) > Michigan > Flint > 1927 > Flint, Michigan City Directory, 1927> image 226. Polk’s Flint City Directory 1928 (Detroit, MI: R. L. Polk & Co.), p. 474, entry for Leo and Marie Hopkins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469 : accessed 31 May 2021) > Michigan > Flint > 1928 > Flint, Michigan City Directory, 1928> image 247.

In 1930, Berry and Marie lived at 3506 Chicago Boulevard in Flint.¹²Polk’s Flint City Directory 1930 (Detroit, MI: R. L. Polk & Co.), p. 416, entry for Leo and Marie Hopkins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469 : accessed 31 May 2021) > Michigan > Flint > 1930 > Flint, Michigan City Directory, 1930> image 216. From 1936 through 1938, they lived at 629 Carton Street and moved to 322 E. McClellan in 1939.¹³Polk’s Flint City Directory 1936 (Detroit, MI: R. L. Polk & Co.), p. 386, entry for Leo and Marie Hopkins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469 : accessed 31 May 2021) > Michigan > Flint > 1936 > Flint, Michigan City Directory, 1936> image 196. Polk’s Flint City Directory 1938 (Detroit, MI: R. L. Polk & Co.), p. 435, entry for Leo and Marie Hopkins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469 : accessed 31 May 2021) > Michigan > Flint > 1938 > Flint, Michigan City Directory, 1938> image 219. Polk’s Flint City Directory 1939 (Detroit, MI: R. L. Polk & Co.), p. 408, entry for Leo and Marie Hopkins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469 : accessed 31 May 2021) > Michigan > Flint > 1939 > Flint, Michigan City Directory, 1939> image 202. Their residence was 1519 Detroit Street in 1940, but they lived at 412 Delia Street in 1942 and moved to 1419 Chippewa by 1947.¹⁴1940 U.S. census, Genesee Co., MI, pop. sch., Flint, ED 86-89, sheet 9A, hhld 182, Leo B. Hopkins. “U.S. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238 : accessed 20 Feb 2022), Leo Berry Hopkins, serial no. 667; from Records of the Selective Service System, 1926–1975, Record Group 147, NARA, St Louis, Missouri; 1942 address. Polk’s Flint City Directory 1947 (Detroit, MI: R. L. Polk & Co.), p. 287, entry for Leo and Marie Hopkins; digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469 : accessed 31 May 2021) > Michigan > Flint > 1947 > Flint, Michigan City Directory, 1947> image 145.

Berry retired in 1963 after thirty-five years at Fisher Body, a division of General Motors.¹⁵“Flint-Fenton, Leo B. Hopkins,” Flint (MI) Journal, 16 Sep 1988, p. D3, col. 6; digital image, GenealogyBank (https://genealogybank.com : accessed 27 Jun 2022).

Marie died on 29 July 1965 at Hurley Hospital in Flint. They lived at 1362 E. Maple Road at the time of her death. Marie’s funeral was held on 2 August at the Colonial Chapel of Reigle Funeral Home in Flint with burial in Evergreen Cemetery in Grand Blanc, Michigan.¹⁶“Obituary and Funeral Notices, Hopkins, Marie B.,” Flint (MI) Journal, 1 Aug 1965, p. 67, col. 1; digital image, GenealogyBank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 27 Jun 2022).

Berry died of colon cancer on 15 September 1988 at Crestmont Medical Care Facility in Fenton, Michigan, at age ninety. His funeral was held on the 17^th at the Dodds-Dumanois-Pitts Funeral Home with Reverend Clifford Furness officiating. He was buried beside Marie in Evergreen Cemetery.¹⁷MI Dept of Health and Human Services, death certificate no. 53838 (1988), Leo B. Hopkins; cause of death. “Flint-Fenton, Leo B. Hopkins,” Flint Journal, 16 Sep 1988.

James Leo Hopkins

Jim married Dorothy Marie Davis on 9 August 1958 in Flint, Michigan.¹⁸Flint (MI) Journal (http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/), “James L. Hopkins (obituary),” 16 Feb 2008, online archives. Dorothy was born on 19 July 1923 in Flint, the daughter of Lloyd G. Davis and Viola D. Langlois. Jim and Dorothy had one daughter.¹⁹“U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60901 : accessed 16 Aug 2022), Dorothy Marie Davis, SSN 383-18-6546; from Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936–2007.

Jim received a bachelor’s degree from Michigan Normal Teachers College and served in the U.S. Army during World War II, including time in Germany. He worked for General Motors for forty-eight years and was a member of UAW #659.²⁰Flint Journal (http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/), “James L. Hopkins (obituary),” 16 Feb 2008.

Dorothy died on 19 January 2000 at their home in Flint. Jim died on 15 February 2008 at his residence in Swartz Creek, Michigan. They were both cremated.²¹“Dorothy M. Hopkins,” Flint (MI) Journal, 22 Jan 2000, p. A12, col. 6; digital image, GenealogyBank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 30 Sep 2022). Flint Journal (http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/), “James L. Hopkins (obituary),” 16 Feb 2008.

Ruth Marion Hopkins

Ruth married Robert Voltenburg on 25 September 1947 in Grand Blanc, Michigan.²²“Michigan, U.S., Marriage Records, 1867-1952,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9093 : accessed 30 Sep 2022), Ruth M. Hopkins & Robert Voltenburg, 25 Sep 1947, Grand Blanc; MI Marriage Records 1867-1952, MI Dept. of Community Health, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing. They divorced just over a year later on 13 December 1948 in Genesee County, Michigan.²³“Michigan, U.S., Divorce Records, 1897-1952,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9092 : accessed 30 Sep 2022), Ruth Hopkins Voltenburg & Robert Voltenburg, 13 Dec 1948, Genesee Co.; MI Divorce Records, MI Dept. of Community Health, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing. Ruth married Leonard Leon Hawkins on 18 July 1949 in Steuben County, Indiana. Leonard was born on 12 September 1925 in Saginaw, Michigan, to Howard T. Hawkins and Helen Whitosky.²⁴FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/005329167 : accessed 30 Sep 2022), digital film 005329167, image 920, Steuben Co., IN, Marriages, 95: 171, Ruth Hopkins & Leonard Hawkins, 18 Jul 1949. Ruth and Leonard had four children.²⁵Sharp Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Ruth Marion Hawkins, obituary.

Leonard died on 25 February 1991 in Linden, Michigan, and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Grand Blanc.²⁶“Michigan, U.S., Death Index, 1971-1996,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/3171 : accessed 30 Sep 2022), Leonard L. Hawkins, 1991, Genesee Co.; from Michigan Death Index, Dept. of Vital and Health Records, Lansing. Find A Grave (https://www.findagrave.com : viewed 30 Sep 2022), memorial 81113969, for Leonard L. Hawkins, (Evergreen Cemetery, Grand Blanc, Genesee Co., MI), digital image, 27 Nov 2011, by Ellinda. Ruth died on 8 August 2021.²⁷Sharp Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Ruth Marion Hawkins, obituary. She was probably also buried in Evergreen Cemetery.²⁸Find A Grave, memorial 81113969, for Leonard L. Hawkins, gravestone photo by Ellinder; photo shows a double headstone for Leonard and Ruth. Her obituary does not mention interment.

Richard Berry Hopkins

Dick graduated from Michigan State Normal College with a Bachelor of Science degree and earned a master’s in geography from the University of Michigan. He was a lifelong musician and could pick up any instrument and make it sound like he had been playing it for years.²⁹Hoff Funeral & Cremation Service, Richard “Dick” Hopkins, obituary.

Dick married Marian Opel on 24 July 1954 in Fraser, Michigan.³⁰Marian Opel Hopkins, wife of Richard Berry Hopkins. They settled in Winona, Minnesota, where Dick taught business education and geography at Winona State Teachers College from 1957—1987. They had two children.³¹Hoff Funeral & Cremation Service, Richard “Dick” Hopkins, obituary.

Dick died on 6 September 2021 in Winona at age ninety-one.³²Hoff Funeral & Cremation Service, Richard “Dick” Hopkins, obituary.

Joyce Marie Hopkins

Joyce worked for Western Union Telegraph Company, where she met James Paul Maurer.³³Desnoyer Funeral Home, Joyce M. Maurer, obituary. They married on 4 May 1963 in Grand Blanc, Michigan. James was born on 2 November 1934 in Nashville, Michigan, the son of Herman Maurer and Katherine Ehrmann. Joyce and James had five children.³⁴Desnoyer Funeral Home (https://desnoyerfuneralhome.com : accessed 30 Sep 2022), James Paul Maurer, obituary.

James died on 8 September 2020 in Jackson, Michigan.³⁵Desnoyer Funeral Home, James Paul Maurer, obituary. Joyce died in Jackson on 20 October 2021. They were both buried in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery in Jackson.³⁶Desnoyer Funeral Home, Joyce M. Maurer, obituary. Desnoyer Funeral Home, James Paul Maurer, obituary.

Jean Christine Hopkins

Jean married Avery Earl Carpenter on 1 March 1963 in Flint, Michigan.³⁷Sharp Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Jean Christine Carpenter, obituary. Avery was born in Imperial, Nebraska, on 3 September 1933 to Avery Carpenter and Ruth Nothomb.³⁸“U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60901 : accessed 30 Sep 2022), Avery Earl Carpenter, Jr., SSN 507-34-4001; from Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936–2007. Jean and Avery lived in Fenton, Michigan, and had two children.³⁹Sharp Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Jean Christine Carpenter, obituary.

Avery died on 7 March 1989 in Flint. He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Grand Blanc, Michigan.⁴⁰“Fenton, Carpenter, Avery E.,” Flint (MI) Journal, 8 Mar 1989, p. B5, col. 1; digital image, GenealogyBank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 30 Sep 2022).

Jean moved to Flint about ten years after Avery died. She worked as an assistant at the Genesee District Library and as a cashier for Ace Hardware in Grand Blanc.⁴¹Sharp Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Jean Christine Carpenter, obituary.

Jean died on 1 April 2018 in Flint. She was buried in Evergreen Cemetery beside Avery.⁴²Sharp Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Jean Christine Carpenter, obituary.

Cite this page: Linda F. McCauley, "Leo Berry Hopkins," Documenting the Details, 10 Oct 2022 (https://documentingthedetails.com/lbhopkins : accessed [enter current date]).

Written by: Linda F. McCauley
Copyright © 2022 Linda F. McCauley. All rights reserved.

My Connection: James Arton Hopkins & Lucinda Howard (great-grandparents) > Elmer Dennis Hopkins (maternal grandfather > Uta Faye Hopkins (mother)