Obituary of Edward Clarke Hopkins

Ed was educated in various schools in Schenectady and left school in the 12th grade to join the Army Air Corps before the end of World War II. He served his basic training in San Antonio, Texas, then onto Camp Stoneman in New Jersey before shipping out to Johnson AFB in Japan which resulted in two tours in Okinawa. In 1949, he returned to the United States and joined the New York Air National Guard at Scotia, NY. In 1950, he was hired as a full time aircraft mechanic. There he worked on fifteen different types of aircraft including P- 47's B 25's F 80's and C 130's. He continued with the Air Guard including several active duty periods during the building of the Berlin Wall and other national emergencies. He participated in several out of state operations including duties in Alaska, California, and Greenland. Retiring in 1978 he moved his family to Sparta and raised Hereford beef cattle on his father in-law Floyd Werth's farm. He joined the newly formed National Warplane Museum in 1980 and was the director of aircraft maintenance until 1994. He would then become a very active member of the 1941 Historical Aircraft Museum, where he served as aircraft mechanic and flight line director during the annual air shows. He was a dedicated and loyal member of the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum in Geneseo. Surviving in addition to his dear wife of 53 years Raublyn, are his children, Kevin and wife Nhi Hopkins of Conesus, Steve Hopkins of Sparta and Cathy and husband Tom Green also of Conesus, three grandchildren, Samantha, Matthew and Zachery Green; two brothers, Cortland and Francis Hopkins and a sister Vivian Hopkins, all of Schenectady. A memorial service will be held on Ed's birthday Saturday October 31, at 11:00am at the Swanson Hall/Visitor Center at the Geneseo Airport, 3489 Big Tree lane off NYS Route 63 in Geneseo. Interment will be in Kiehle Cemetery, Sparta. Arrangements are by the Hindle Funeral Home, Inc. 271 Main St., Dansville. Online remembrances may be left at HindleFuneralHome.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group, PO Box 185, Geneseo, NY 144541 or www.1941HAG.org.