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Ed Hopkins Died on 2 August, 2008 (Paper article- Monday 4 August, 2008) OREGON

CORVALLIS - Ed Hopkins, 89, of Corvallis passed away Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008 after living a long, happy life._ Ed was born Feb. 9. 1919 in a three room house on Blodgett Creek to Pearl Hopkins. Ed’s father had been killed in a farming accident that January in Michigan but wanted to be buried in the Rockies. Ed spent his early years living in Hamilton or Missoula. He lived a number of years with his grandparents Thomas and Elizabeth Steele on the west side on what he termed a “pile of rocks.” Ed ended his formal education in the eighth grade to help out the family. No work was too hard for that skinny Hopkins kid during the Great Depression. He recalled getting paid $20 a month plus room and board working in the sugar beets, haying and harvesting. During forest fire season he fought fires for 30 cents an hour.    ***    Ed enlisted in the Army Air Force on Aug. 17. 1942. After graduating from the Harlingen Army Gunnery School in Harlingen, Texas, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. Before being shipped overseas he completed bombardier and navigation school. He was assigned to Squadron G 112th Army Air Force Base Unit. As part of the 321st Bombardment Group his crew made bombing raids from Africa. After 60 missions, Ed returned to the states and was discharged at the end of the war. In his later years, one of his prized possessions was a memory box that displayed his medals, citations and mementos of his service to his country in World War II. *
      Ed returned to the Bitterroot Valley to work in the apple orchards. On a blind date he met his future wife, Mary Jaques, and they were married April 4. 1951. Ed and Mary worked hard to make a living for their family. Ed and Mary started out share cropping but eventually bought their own farm on Willow Creek Road in Corvallis. Mary was a nurse anesthetist for the Marcus Daly Hospital in Hamilton and kept them financially afloat while they were getting started in the dairy business.
     The farm was a family business with everyone doing their part. After their last child went off to college, Ed and Mary sold the dairy cows to their son-in-law and daughter and went into raising beef cattle. Meanwhile, Ed started having the itch to get back in the apple orchard business. In his mid-60s he started an orchard of 1,500 trees, primarily MacIntosh, for his full retirement which was in his 70s. Ed and Mary enjoyed peddling their apples to stores and communities in Deer Lodge, Butte, Anaconda, Helena and the Blackfoot area. They always enjoyed the nice people they met and people always looked forward to the next crop of MacIntosh apples from the Bitterroot.
In their later years, Ed and Mary enjoyed travel tours to Mexico, South Korea, China, Russia and a cruise to Alaska. They formed many friendships with people from other states on the tours and would travel to see them. A special memory was their 50th wedding anniversary party held April 7, 2001 at the Corvallis United Methodist Church.
      Finally in their 80s Ed and Mary sold their apple orchard and moved to their home between Corvallis and Stevensville. Ed enjoyed the beautiful view of the valley from their home and the deer that passed through their property. They were very fortunate to have caring neighbors who would keep a close watch on them.
      Ed was preceded in death by daughter Edine Zimmermann; son Mike Hopkins; granddaughter Candy Johnston; brother Gerard Hopkins; and sisters Dorothy Davis and Earlene Lovinger. He is survived by his wife, Mary; daughters Patty (Wally) Geiger of Niarada, and Ann (Martin) Jacobson of Helena. He also was the proud grandfather to three grandsons Mike (Honey) Geiger, Chris Fifield and Josh (Laura) Fifield and two granddaughters, Debbie (Darrell) Caster and Lainey Margheim. Bringing him additional joy were his seven great-grandchildren with an expected addition in October. Also surviving are sister Phyllis (George) Sandau and brother Jeanne (Jan) Sticht.
Services will be held Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008 at 11 a.m. at the Corvallis United Methodist Church with burial to follow at the Corvallis Cemetery with military honors. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Corvallis United Methodist Church or to the charity of the donor’s choice. Arrangements are under the care of the Daly-Leach Chapel._

Edgar G Hopkins