Helen Catherine Hopkinson (nee Matré), 87, an Oak Park native and longtime resident, died peacefully at home in River Forest, surrounded by her family on June 9, 2014. Born on Dec. 1, 1926 at Oak Park Hospital to Richard and Gertrude Matré, her
father was a church goods salesman and the family moved quiet often. She never attended the same school for more than two years but eventually graduated from Trinity High School in 1944. Helen attended Syracuse University met the love of her life, John G. Hopkinson, who was from Oak Park, while both were attendants at her brother’s wedding in August of 1947. In order to be closer to him, she attended and graduated from Rosary College (now Dominican University) in River Forest. The family settled in John’s childhood home on South East Avenue.
Helen was active in Ascension Parish and served as both a Girl Scout and Cub Scout leader. Once the children were all in school, she worked as a bookkeeper at her husband’s store, Gorman Church Goods, in Oak Park. Later she worked as an administrative assistant in the Obstetrics Department at Loyola University Medical Center for 12 years.
Upon her retirement in 1993, Helen moved to Valparaiso, Florida and became an active member of the community, volunteering for many worthy causes. She returned to River Forest in 2008 and moved into a condo. More than anything else, she loved having her whole family together, and seeing them “all get along.”
Helen Hopkinson is survived by her children, Bill (Debby), Sue, Bob (Paula), B.C. (Tim) Juettner, Joan (Mark) Stakulis, Jim (Deborah), Dave (Sally), and John; her grandchildren, Kari (Ryan) Gemmell and Mike Hopkinson, Lauren and Allison Reinke, Nicole (Brian) Acker, Bobby and Colin Hopkinson, John and Annelise Juettner, Nolan, Brian, Ciara and Maura Hopkinson, and Cliff and Matthew Hopkinson; her sister-in-law, Jeanne (Hopkinson) Kevil; and her many nieces and nephews. She was most recently delighted by the singing talents of her four great-grandchildren, Madeline, Mackenzie and Caitlin Acker, and Owen Gemmell. She was preceded in death by her husband, John; her siblings, Richard and sister-in-law Marilu (Flanagan) Matre, John “Punch” and Patricia (Hopkinson) Milnamow; and her brother-in-law, Jack Kevil.
Visitation was held at Drechsler Brown and Williams Funeral Home on June 13. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Luke Catholic Church on June 14, 2014, followed by interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery. Donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org, or Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 S. First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153.