It's been a year and I still reach for my phone to call you.  You are deeply missed my brother. 
 Rest in peace homey clause 
🙏♥️

Thinking of you all the time. My hope is you are all knowing and feel joy beyond measure with our Parents, Grandparents and extended family in Heaven. Love ❤️ your sister JoAnne

I have known Richard for at least 30 years. I have not just  been his hairdresser but also his friend. You can’t help but be that. He always had a smile and positive attitude. Even through his battle he said he was at peace. I’ve heard so many stories through the years I feel I know so many of you and hope to meet you Thursday.  Don’t worry I have a client/hairdresser vow of silence🙂. I will miss you and your smile very very much. You always brightened my day. I know you are with the lord blessing him with your beautiful smile. 

I have known Richard for over 30+ years and we met  when I worked at GTE and we became friends and after I left GTE and moved to California and moved again to Atlanta for a new Job and moved one last time to Florida we stayed close in touch. We became really good friends and we went to Cancun on vacation for many years.

Richard was a kind, humble and witty guy, and he made people laugh, and I will miss him very much and you will also  be missed by all who knew you..

I am positive that our Lord reserved a special spot for Richard in his glorious kingdom.

Rest in peace Richard.

Nabil

Nabil


Richard,
You were always a man of integrity, honesty and humility.  When we first were introduced nearly 10 years ago, we were part of the Men’s group at Hope Community church and you stood out amongst so many “ordinary” people as one who was extraordinarily gifted.  
  What I remember most about you was your smile and how your personality lit up a room— it was welcoming, almost charming and nothing could dampen the spirit of love that was so vivid. 
I know God has a special plan for you.  You have already left a positive mark here on Earth in esch and every person who has had an opportunity to share time with you.  
Sincerely,
Brian Wong - Chapel Hill, NC


Ricky,
May you rest in eternal peace. I still can’t believe it but as they say you are in a better place. My hope is that you are happy and peaceful. May you be guided by god with his love and strength. Jim, Alex, Grayson and Ava love and miss you forever xoxo.
Love,
Laurie 

Richard I only regret I didn't get to say goodbye properly to you. I am so grateful for you and your friendship and wish that I could have spent more time with you! Heaven has a new angel.  

Miss your texts.. still can’t believe you’re no longer with us…You have left a space no one can fill. 😘 

Roadtrip memories --- stopping off for the races enroute to friends' wedding, whitewater rafting, baseball weekends at Fenway, Wrightsville Beach weekends, Vegas trips, Cancun --- no shortage of good times!

Never bet on a gray horse!

One of many, many awesome times at football games!

Richard was truly one-of-a-kind, and I’m so blessed that he’s been a part of my life. So many memories, so many fun times, so much love – his presence always lit up the room and brought smiles to those around him.  Friendships that started around the lunch table at BNR in the early 90s grew into lifelong bonds that are treasured and special --- friends who have lived life together for 30+ years, friends who have become extended family to each other.  “Hype”, as we know him, has been in the center of those friendships, and his presence will always be with us.  

As I’ve gone through pictures and videos, this one stands out the most to me – Richard was one of my groomsmen when Susan and I were married in 1999, and here he is leading the Hype dance at the reception, as only he could --- just the way, uh huh uh huh, Hype likes it, uh huh uh huh!  We’ll miss you my brother!


When I first met Richard 30 years ago at BNR, we quickly went from building NC0 co-workers at 35DD to great friends.  Richard was almost larger than life itself, full of crazy stories and outlandish claims that would always raise at least one eyebrow.  When Richard told me his friends from GTE would call him “Hop”, I immediately weighed in:  
“No, YOU, my friend, are all HYPE, no matter the circumstance or event.”  Therein was the origin of the “Hype” nickname that friends of his from BNR to Honeywell know all too well.
Through the years, I would work closely with Richard, where our friendship was strengthened by finding the humor and ongoing commentary in our jobs and places of employment.  The examples and jokes are too numerous to list, but there was no one I knew more that could take an edict or new policy and reply (just to me) in a private ALL CAPS remark, questioning all that was going on, as only Richard could: “It’s a comedy of ERRORS here!” or “YOU DA MAN!!!!! Clearly” (actual e-mails).

Richard was beloved by his BNR/Nortel friends.  A close group  in our 20s and 30s spent many memorable events together as co-workers starting in the 1990s.  This included BNR Christmas Parties, Big 80s Parties (Cody CD collection), beach day trips including the Oceanic and Dockside, Coronado Way BPs, Durham Bulls outings, Spikeaholics volleyball, Bojangles lunches, and a few weddings sprinkled in like seasoning on Bo’s fries as this photo shows.  
Richard was FAMOUS for bringing the HYPE DANCE out at wedding receptions and parties to lead the whole party in this extravaganza.  Performed to KC and the Sunshine Band’s “That’s the Way (I Like it)”, it was a choreographed masterpiece that only Hype could pull off.  
As Paul once noted in the BNR Cocos archives: “That's the way, uh-huh uh-huh, HYPE likes it, uh-huh”.  
We weren’t sure at the beginning, but over time, Richard had us believing in the HYPE!

One of the clearest examples of the HYPE nickname came in Richard’s love for NC State sports.  He would be the life of the football tailgate, bringing his Mr. Wuf mascot by to try and influence my boys’ love for their parents’ alma mater of Virginia Tech into his of State.  We had trips to Blacksburg and games in Raleigh where Richard would bring out all of the props to try and get my boys to cheer for his beloved Pack.  He was relentless with this, and it resulted in many laughs and memories.  He adopted the VT Clubhouse Communion tradition at his own NC State tailgates, and was a favorite visitor with Hokie fans whenever the teams would play.
When my oldest daughter decided to attend NC State, Richard didn’t miss a beat.  He showed up at the graduation party with full Wolfpack gear, including his beloved Mr. Wuf head.  It was a special gesture as only Hype could surprise with.  With my youngest son now a rising senior at NC State, Hype and I have often visited at Pack games inside the stadium, where seeing him cheer on the Pack was always a memorable time.  Hype, “Go Pack!”, clearly!


Richard and I worked together at Elster (now Honeywell) on the same team for 12+ years.  We were both in the same Project Delivery team with some of the greatest group of people you’d ever want to work with.  Our world as friends expanded in both having the benefit of working with many former Nortel colleagues, and in making and having many additional good friends from the AMI industry.  Richard would continue his same enjoyment of life and working with others in our projects team and in working directly with his customers.  
His dedication to his customers and coworkers both past and current all mourning his passing cannot be understated.  Richard was the consummate professional, and his recent work on a challenging project deployment earned him well-deserved accolades across the organizations at a recent Honeywell Smart Energy Town Hall.

One of my favorite pictures of Richard during a tailgate celebration after the Weight Loss Challenge (it has its own lore – trust me).  Richard got the tailgate off to a rousing start by raising the flags and throwing the football in the morning.  
Hype would say “Kevster, go long!”, and he knew I would.  After a week full of hearing the hype on what the tailgate would consist of, Richard would never disappoint.

As Richard would say, bruddahs from annudah muddah.  Richard with Stephen at Clearwater Beach.  My first time on a scooter or motorized bike.  Soon after this pic I ended up in the bushes.  Richard had a good laugh at my inexperience.  Just a few scratches from the bushes.  :-)  I will never forget our trips together, especially Las Vegas for March Madness over the years.  A good friend that will be missed.  Rest in Peace.

Richard and I had a tradition of taking each other out to dinner for our birthdays. Last July, we celebrated Richard's 60th birthday with a special dinner at one our favorite restaurants. I always looked forward to our dinners together, and I will miss them dearly.

Richard was the best Halloween host in the neighborhood. He decorated his house elaborately and gave out huge candy bars. Kids would rush to his house first on Halloween night, and even teenagers would dress up to get his candy. In recent years, I would joke with Richard that his house was always the top-rated destination on the Halloween app on the kids' phones.

On Thanksgiving Day one year, we went to Maggiano's because we couldn't get a reservation at the Angus Barn. We ordered the family-style meal option, which includes turkey and all the trimmings plus various Italian dishes. Richard only ate one bite of the turkey with cranberry sauce before switching to the Italian dishes. As you can see he especially loved the meatballs.

Richard, an honorary Irishman at heart, loved the name of the Nine Fine Irishmen pub in the NY NY hotel and casino in Las Vegas. He would always greet my older brother Stephen with a boisterous "NINE FINE IRISHMEN!" when we visited Las Vegas for the annual March Madness basketball tournament.
An example of this was one year, my brother Stephen's flight arrived into Las Vegas 15 minutes after our arrival. We had agreed to meet in the baggage claim area and share a ride to the Strip. Passengers arrived to the baggage claim area from the second level and descended via escalator. Richard startled me and the other arriving passengers when all of a sudden he shouted NINE FINE IRISHMEN! as my brother Stephen appeared on the escalator.  

Richard was a friendly and outgoing person who loved to socialize. He was always up for a good time, and he never met a stranger. He was always willing to join in on a celebration, even if he didn't know anyone there.

Richard's love of fishing and being on the water began at a young age. He grew up on the NC coast, where he would often go fishing and boating with his father. These experiences helped to shape his love of the outdoors and his appreciation for nature.

Richard was a true inspiration. He showed us that even the smallest act of kindness can make a big difference. His volunteer work at the Jimmy V celebrity golf tournament was a testament to his big heart and his commitment to helping others.   

This photo of Stuart Scott and Richard was taken at the after-party of the 2011 Jimmy V Celebrity Golf Tournament.  Stuart Scott passed away from appendix cancer four years later, in 2015.

Richard was and is one of the kindest, most authentic people I’ve known. I treasure the memories of times spent together.. especially our sightseeing in Las Vegas. I pray for comfort for his family. He was a special soul and will be sincerely missed. Rest easy, Friend.  🩵

This is one of the family photos I shared with cousin Ricky.  He loved it.

I have so many great memories of you. Remember the fishing trip in grad school off the coast of NC?  Wow. 

Your sense of humor was second to none.  But the thing I will remember the most - you’re a good man.   I’m going to miss you so much my good friend. You are truly one of the best!  Until we meet again…

Steve

So sorry for friends and family to hear this news. Richard was one of the good ones. We had a lot of breakfasts together over the years at Barry's and saw each other at church, Men of Hope gatherings, and more. We both used to live in BayShore, NY, were NCSU fans, Canes fans, and loved Christ. Super nice and easy going guy with a constant chuckle or smile. You'll be missed, Bro! RIP, Friend! Seeya again.

Checking out some Badger gear. He told everyone in the store of Russell Wilson and the connection at NCSU. Richard was a great guy, loved being around him. 

Richard and I traveled to Wisconsin a few times. Checking some cheese hats. 

We will miss your big heart. Your loving messages and kind spirit.  Dude… what are you doing !!  We love you big brother xoxo
Peace always. William and Kathleen. 

Rick was a kind person who could lite up a room with his presence. We were truly blessed to have you in our lives. God called you home way to early brother. May you rest and peace until we meet again. 
 miss you already. Until we  see you again love you Michael, Suzanne, Joseph, Jonathan and Christopher Hopkins 🙏

My Brother (always Ricky to me)surprised our Dad with a trip to South Africa- together in the bush admiring what is the world of beauty that is Gods creation .  YEABO ! They are together again in Paradise . With love will miss you.   JoAnne, Steven, Jordan, Taylor, Igor and Grand Niece and Nephew Theodore and Isabel😘

It is with a very heavy heart that we send our condolences to “Hops” family and friends. Our friendship started in 1987 when he and Joe worked together at GTE. It was the times away from work that remain special to us. Softball games and dinners together. Then came the fun rivalry between Hop and me with his devotion to his Wolfpack and mine to my Gamecocks. We had seats together and made bets - which I lost and he made me pay for. When our son was born he came to the hospital to see us bringing Wolfpack stuff. There is no one like Hop!  Forever in our hearts!!!  We will see you one day!!!

My dear cousin Ricky, I’m so sorry that you were sick, but you know you are in gods hands now I have a lot of memories with you my other cousins I will never forget you will always hold a special place within my heart and Ricky. I love you, !! meet you there!!! be at peace, my cousin!

My condolences to Richard’s family and friends. I took the news of your passing, with very heavy heart. I wish I would have known what you were dealing with. We just met for lunch in January. 

I always considered you my very best friend from college. All those football and basketball games, and pizza on Friday nights are still fresh in my mind. The 83 championship NCAA was the best! You were always a loyal Wolfpack Fan! Thanks for inviting me to games post graduation. I am so glad you were able to enjoy all those travels in the past few years.

A candle burned out too soon for sure! Enjoy paradise, until we meet again.

Love, Mark Lindsay

Happy memories at Lake Gaston.  Of course, most days were happy memories with Rick.  The kids and I will never forget his kindness, generosity, support and faith.  So blessed to have shared a part of our lives with him.  Until we meet again.  
Renee, Jake, Mitch. 

We met Richard in 2018 when we all went to the Holy Land.  He got this tattoo in Jerusalem.  His smile and friendship will be missed.

Richard was a high school friend of mine.  Here he was attending my retirement dinner August 2022. A few of us from high school met for dinner semi-regularly. We will miss him!

Was in homeroom together at WCHS,always had kind words to me.Sorry for loss.We will meet in heaven.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Richard Christopher Hopkins Jr.

15 juillet 1962 – 16 mai 2023

Apex Funeral Home

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