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Roy M. Hopkins

January 01, 1970

"Hoppy Hopkins" redirects here. For the figure John "Hoppy" Hopkins from the UK underground movement, see John Hopkins (political activist).

Roy McArthur Hopkins, known as Hoppy Hopkins (June 10, 1943 – November 23, 2006), was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 1 in northern Caddo Parish and two precincts in northern Bossier Parish from 1988 until his Thanksgiving Day death from bone cancer. In 1966, Hopkins moved his family to Oil City (population 1,008 in the 2010 U.S. census) and made his living there as an automobile dealer.

Roy McArthur "Hoppy" Hopkins
Louisiana State Representative for
District 1 (Caddo Parish)
In office
1988–2006
Preceded byBruce Newton Lynn, I
Succeeded byJames Hollis "Jim" Morris
Caddo Parish Commissioner
In office
1980 (as Caddo Parish Police Juror) – 1988
Preceded byEarl Guyton Williamson, Sr. (as Caddo Parish Police Juror)
Succeeded byJames Whitfield Williamson
President, Caddo Parish Commission
In office
1984–1987
Preceded byNew position
Succeeded byTommy Gene Armstrong
Personal details
Born(1943-06-10)June 10, 1943
Murchison, Texas, United States
DiedNovember 23, 2006(2006-11-23) (aged 63)
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseRosemarie "Rose" Duddeck Hopkins
ChildrenTodd Andreas Hopkins
Garry Romain Hopkins
Residence(s)Oil City, Caddo Parish, Louisiana
OccupationAutomobile dealer
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Battles/warsCold War

Previously Hopkins had been an alderman and mayor of Oil City. In 1979, he was elected to the Caddo Parish Police Jury, which became the Caddo Parish Commission in December 1984. Hopkins was elected by his colleagues as the first president of the Caddo Parish Commission. Two Republican commissioners, Tommy Gene Armstrong and Lloyd E. Lenard, served thereafter as the second and third presidents of the commission, respectively.

Hopkins was born in the village of Murchison near Athens in Henderson County, Texas. He was a veteran of the United States Army, having been stationed in Germany during the Cold War.

Election history edit

Hopkins won his House seat when the GOP incumbent Bruce Newton Lynn, I, of Gilliam decided not to seek re-election in 1987. Hopkins defeated the Fourth Congressional District Republican chairman, Kenneth "Ken" Frazier, and a fellow Democrat, Norbert Johnson. Hopkins polled 6,756 votes (53 percent) to Frazier's 5,128 (40 percent), and Johnson's 813 ballots (6 percent). Frazier's campaign against Hopkins was the last to have been managed by former State Republican Chairman George Joseph Despot (1927–1991) of Shreveport.

Another Republican, David Hunter, tried unsuccessfully to defeat Hopkins in 1991. Hopkins polled 8,187 (73 percent) to Hunter's 2,964 (27 percent). Republicans left Hopkins unopposed in the 1995, 1999, and 2003 primaries. However, two Democrats, attorney Kirby Kelly and Philip Green, challenged him in 2003. Hopkins received 6,861 votes that year to Kelly's 2,322 (24 percent) and Green's 606 ballots (6 percent)

Legislation edit

In the House, Hopkins supported the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport and the establishment of the Louisiana State Oil and Natural Gas Museum in Oil City. He also wrote legislation that divided riverboat taxes among local governments.

The Shreveport Times, his regional newspaper, described Hopkins as having a great sense of humor and a "biting wit" but "adept at getting bills passed and maneuvering behind the scenes to kill legislation he opposed." Hopkins was a veteran member of the important House Appropriations Committee. He was elected by the legislative delegation of the Fourth Congressional District to serve as its representative on the state House panel.

A colleague and close friend, Representative Billy Montgomery, a Democrat-turned-Republican from Haughton in Bossier Parish, told the Shreveport Times that Hopkins was a "team player" who had a good relationship with almost everybody. . . . He led because people liked him so much."

Hopkins authored a bill to provide health benefits to lawmakers who had served prior to the installation of term limits. The bill passed, but Democratic Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco vetoed the bill at the "urging of Republican lawmakers, many of whom had voted for the legislation ... People never understood that Hoppy wasn't doing that for himself. He was just thinking about other members. He already had [his own] insurance ... and retirement," Montgomery explained.

Representative Wayne Waddell, a Shreveport Republican first elected in a 1997 special election to succeed Republican Roy L. Brun, who became a state district judge, said that he voted for the health-benefits bill because it "means too much to Hoppy."

Then House Speaker Joe Salter, a Democrat from Florien in Sabine Parish, said that Hopkins could not be pressured to support or oppose legislation. Salter noted that the commissioner of administration once threatened Hopkins about projects in north Caddo Parish. "Hoppy told him to go ahead and pull the damn things, but he wasn't voting" as the commissioner requested, Salter said.

Billy Montgomery told The Times that ethics laws were unneeded for legislators like Hopkins: "He just had common sense, and he was a good person. If you want to pattern yourself, as an alderman, a small town mayor or a member of a legislature, he's the pattern to follow."

Personal Life edit

An avid golfer and hunter, Hopkins was a member of the Monterey Country Club in Vivian and was among a regular group of House members who managed to play nine holes of golf before morning committee meetings during legislative sessions, noted The Times. The same was also said of an earlier occupant of the north Caddo House seat, James H. "Jimmy" Wilson (1931–1986), a Democrat and later Republican from Vivian.

Death edit

Hopkins was survived by his wife, the former Rosemarie "Rose" Duddeck (born 1945), and two sons, Todd Andreas Hopkins (born 1963) and wife Karen Hopkins and Garry Romain Hopkins (born 1966), all of Oil City; four sisters, Alma Lee Thompson and Opal McCool, both of Fort Worth, Fayreen Tiner of Tyler, and Bonnie Ruth Holsomback of Frankston, Texas; one brother, Joe Dan Hopkins of Jacksonville, Texas; three grandchildren, Brandon Hopkins, Rachel Garlington, and Meredith LeBlanc, and two great-grandchildren.

Services were held on November 28, 2006, in the 300-seat United Pentecostal Church of Oil City, with the Reverends Johnny Peden, Gerald Trammell, and H. A. McFarland officiating. Todd Hopkins eulogized his father as "my mentor, ... my hero, and my friend. We will miss him, but we know that he is in a better place. He fought a good fight." When the church sanctuary filled, mourners were directed to an overflow area in the gymnasium.

Speaker Salter told the mourners that "Hoppy was always faithful in terms of his service. Even when he was ill, he would come to the sessions. He demonstrated his desire to serve in spite of his illness." Salter added that Hopkins was "tremendously brave when he faced death. He talked about it and made plans. And he never questioned why. It was quite a testimony the way he faced death."

Governor Blanco arrived in Oil City, having first attended the inauguration of outgoing state Representative Cedric Bradford Glover as the first black mayor of Shreveport. She missed the service itself but attended the burial in Lakeview Memorial Gardens and met privately afterward with Mrs. Hopkins. Pallbearers included Judge Roy Brun, Wayne Taylor, Patrick Wooldridge, Dan Turner, Dr. John Haynes, and Charlie Alexander. Hopkins and Brun were initially elected to the legislature in 1987 and developed an interparty friendship over the years.

The Hopkins family requested memorials to the Oil and Gas Museum in Oil City 71601. Oil City is located on Louisiana Highway 1 north of Caddo Lake and south of the Arkansas state line.

Hopkins was honored two months before his death by the naming of "Roy 'Hoppy' Hopkins Drive", the entrance to the Caddo Parish Ward II Industrial Park near Vivian.

In a special election held on February 24, 2007, to choose Hopkins' successor, the Republican Jim Morris, a Caddo Parish commissioner, received 69 percent of the vote and defeated two other Republicans and two Democrats. Morris then won a full term in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 20, 2007.=

References edit

Political offices
Preceded by
Bruce Lynn
 Louisiana State Representative for District 1 (northern Caddo Parish)
1988–2006 		Succeeded by
Jim Morris
Preceded by
Earl Guyton Williamson, Sr.
 Caddo Parish Commissioner
1980–1988 		Succeeded by
James Whitfield Williamson
Preceded by
New position
 President, Caddo Parish Commission
1984–1987 		Succeeded by
Tommy Armstrong

January 01, 1970
hopkins, hoppy, hopkins, redirects, here, figure, john, hoppy, hopkins, from, underground, movement, john, hopkins, political, activist, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, tem. Hoppy Hopkins redirects here For the figure John Hoppy Hopkins from the UK underground movement see John Hopkins political activist This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations November 2017 Learn how and when to remove this message This article uses citations that link to broken or outdated sources Please improve the article by addressing link rot or discuss this issue on the talk page May 2024 Learn how and when to remove this message Learn how and when to remove this message Roy McArthur Hopkins known as Hoppy Hopkins June 10 1943 November 23 2006 was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for District 1 in northern Caddo Parish and two precincts in northern Bossier Parish from 1988 until his Thanksgiving Day death from bone cancer In 1966 Hopkins moved his family to Oil City population 1 008 in the 2010 U S census and made his living there as an automobile dealer Roy McArthur Hoppy HopkinsLouisiana State Representative for District 1 Caddo Parish In office 1988 2006Preceded byBruce Newton Lynn ISucceeded byJames Hollis Jim MorrisCaddo Parish CommissionerIn office 1980 as Caddo Parish Police Juror 1988Preceded byEarl Guyton Williamson Sr as Caddo Parish Police Juror Succeeded byJames Whitfield WilliamsonPresident Caddo Parish CommissionIn office 1984 1987Preceded byNew positionSucceeded byTommy Gene ArmstrongPersonal detailsBorn 1943 06 10 June 10 1943Murchison Texas United StatesDiedNovember 23 2006 2006 11 23 aged 63 Political partyDemocraticSpouseRosemarie Rose Duddeck HopkinsChildrenTodd Andreas HopkinsGarry Romain HopkinsResidence s Oil City Caddo Parish LouisianaOccupationAutomobile dealerMilitary serviceBranch serviceUnited States ArmyBattles warsCold War Previously Hopkins had been an alderman and mayor of Oil City In 1979 he was elected to the Caddo Parish Police Jury which became the Caddo Parish Commission in December 1984 Hopkins was elected by his colleagues as the first president of the Caddo Parish Commission Two Republican commissioners Tommy Gene Armstrong and Lloyd E Lenard served thereafter as the second and third presidents of the commission respectively Hopkins was born in the village of Murchison near Athens in Henderson County Texas He was a veteran of the United States Army having been stationed in Germany during the Cold War Contents 1 Election history 2 Legislation 3 Personal Life 4 Death 5 ReferencesElection history editHopkins won his House seat when the GOP incumbent Bruce Newton Lynn I of Gilliam decided not to seek re election in 1987 Hopkins defeated the Fourth Congressional District Republican chairman Kenneth Ken Frazier and a fellow Democrat Norbert Johnson Hopkins polled 6 756 votes 53 percent to Frazier s 5 128 40 percent and Johnson s 813 ballots 6 percent Frazier s campaign against Hopkins was the last to have been managed by former State Republican Chairman George Joseph Despot 1927 1991 of Shreveport Another Republican David Hunter tried unsuccessfully to defeat Hopkins in 1991 Hopkins polled 8 187 73 percent to Hunter s 2 964 27 percent Republicans left Hopkins unopposed in the 1995 1999 and 2003 primaries However two Democrats attorney Kirby Kelly and Philip Green challenged him in 2003 Hopkins received 6 861 votes that year to Kelly s 2 322 24 percent and Green s 606 ballots 6 percent Legislation editIn the House Hopkins supported the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport and the establishment of the Louisiana State Oil and Natural Gas Museum in Oil City He also wrote legislation that divided riverboat taxes among local governments The Shreveport Times his regional newspaper described Hopkins as having a great sense of humor and a biting wit but adept at getting bills passed and maneuvering behind the scenes to kill legislation he opposed Hopkins was a veteran member of the important House Appropriations Committee He was elected by the legislative delegation of the Fourth Congressional District to serve as its representative on the state House panel A colleague and close friend Representative Billy Montgomery a Democrat turned Republican from Haughton in Bossier Parish told the Shreveport Times that Hopkins was a team player who had a good relationship with almost everybody He led because people liked him so much Hopkins authored a bill to provide health benefits to lawmakers who had served prior to the installation of term limits The bill passed but Democratic Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco vetoed the bill at the urging of Republican lawmakers many of whom had voted for the legislation People never understood that Hoppy wasn t doing that for himself He was just thinking about other members He already had his own insurance and retirement Montgomery explained Representative Wayne Waddell a Shreveport Republican first elected in a 1997 special election to succeed Republican Roy L Brun who became a state district judge said that he voted for the health benefits bill because it means too much to Hoppy Then House Speaker Joe Salter a Democrat from Florien in Sabine Parish said that Hopkins could not be pressured to support or oppose legislation Salter noted that the commissioner of administration once threatened Hopkins about projects in north Caddo Parish Hoppy told him to go ahead and pull the damn things but he wasn t voting as the commissioner requested Salter said Billy Montgomery told The Times that ethics laws were unneeded for legislators like Hopkins He just had common sense and he was a good person If you want to pattern yourself as an alderman a small town mayor or a member of a legislature he s the pattern to follow Personal Life editAn avid golfer and hunter Hopkins was a member of the Monterey Country Club in Vivian and was among a regular group of House members who managed to play nine holes of golf before morning committee meetings during legislative sessions noted The Times The same was also said of an earlier occupant of the north Caddo House seat James H Jimmy Wilson 1931 1986 a Democrat and later Republican from Vivian Death editHopkins was survived by his wife the former Rosemarie Rose Duddeck born 1945 and two sons Todd Andreas Hopkins born 1963 and wife Karen Hopkins and Garry Romain Hopkins born 1966 all of Oil City four sisters Alma Lee Thompson and Opal McCool both of Fort Worth Fayreen Tiner of Tyler and Bonnie Ruth Holsomback of Frankston Texas one brother Joe Dan Hopkins of Jacksonville Texas three grandchildren Brandon Hopkins Rachel Garlington and Meredith LeBlanc and two great grandchildren Services were held on November 28 2006 in the 300 seat United Pentecostal Church of Oil City with the Reverends Johnny Peden Gerald Trammell and H A McFarland officiating Todd Hopkins eulogized his father as my mentor my hero and my friend We will miss him but we know that he is in a better place He fought a good fight When the church sanctuary filled mourners were directed to an overflow area in the gymnasium Speaker Salter told the mourners that Hoppy was always faithful in terms of his service Even when he was ill he would come to the sessions He demonstrated his desire to serve in spite of his illness Salter added that Hopkins was tremendously brave when he faced death He talked about it and made plans And he never questioned why It was quite a testimony the way he faced death Governor Blanco arrived in Oil City having first attended the inauguration of outgoing state Representative Cedric Bradford Glover as the first black mayor of Shreveport She missed the service itself but attended the burial in Lakeview Memorial Gardens and met privately afterward with Mrs Hopkins Pallbearers included Judge Roy Brun Wayne Taylor Patrick Wooldridge Dan Turner Dr John Haynes and Charlie Alexander Hopkins and Brun were initially elected to the legislature in 1987 and developed an interparty friendship over the years The Hopkins family requested memorials to the Oil and Gas Museum in Oil City 71601 Oil City is located on Louisiana Highway 1 north of Caddo Lake and south of the Arkansas state line Hopkins was honored two months before his death by the naming of Roy Hoppy Hopkins Drive the entrance to the Caddo Parish Ward II Industrial Park near Vivian In a special election held on February 24 2007 to choose Hopkins successor the Republican Jim Morris a Caddo Parish commissioner received 69 percent of the vote and defeated two other Republicans and two Democrats Morris then won a full term in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 20 2007 References edithttp www shreveporttimes com apps pbcs dll article AID 20061124 NEWS01 611240314 http www legacy com shreveporttimes Obituaries asp Page Lifestory amp PersonId 20030777 http www sos louisiana gov museums oil oil index htm http www sos louisiana gov 8090 cgibin rqstyp elcpr amp rqsdta 10248709 permanent dead link http www sos louisiana gov 8090 cgibin rqstyp elcpr amp rqsdta 10040309 http www sos louisiana gov 8090 cgibin rqstyp elcpr amp rqsdta 10199109 permanent dead link http www sos louisiana gov 8090 cgibin rqstyp elcpr amp rqsdta 02240709 http www shreveporttimes com apps pbcs dll article AID 20061128 BREAKINGNEWS 61128025 http www caddo org Minutes September 2021st 202006 pdf Portals nbsp Business nbsp Politics nbsp Christianity Political offices Preceded byBruce Lynn Louisiana State Representative for District 1 northern Caddo Parish 1988 2006 Succeeded byJim Morris Preceded byEarl Guyton Williamson Sr Caddo Parish Commissioner1980 1988 Succeeded byJames Whitfield Williamson Preceded byNew position President Caddo Parish Commission1984 1987 Succeeded byTommy Armstrong Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Roy M Hopkins amp oldid 1222662721, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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