Roy “Bud” Hopkins, age 83, passed away on Friday, February 15, 2019, at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock. Bud was born on January 21, 1936, in Texarkana, Texas, to the late Roy H. Hopkins, Sr. and Mary Ethel Biddle Hopkins. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Nannie M. Oliver.
Bud grew up in Texarkana and graduated from Texarkana High School in 1954. In 1955, Bud went to work for Kroger in the meat department and worked as a meat cutter for Kroger in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas for 43 years. He retired in 1998 from the Kroger on Baseline and Geyer Springs in Little Rock. He made many friends throughout his 43 years at Kroger and loved them all, especially his customers.
Bud was a devoted model railroader who loved trains. He was a member of the Cotton Belt Rail historical Society in Pine Bluff, AR. He was a vendor every year in the Cotton Belt Train Shows in Pine Bluff and the “Rail and Sprues” Train Shows in Jacksonville. Being in his train building brought him so much joy, whether it was running trains for his grandchildren, showing off his trains to friends, or just being alone running trains. He was always happy when he was with his trains.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Julia Hays Hopkins of the home, his daughter Tammy Porter (Jeff) of Glen Rose; three grandchildren, Tara Dorminy of Rogers, Brad Porter (Paige) of Glen Rose, and Kyle Porter (Sydney) of Little Rock, two great- grandchildren, Hadley Grace and Jackson Hays Dorminy of Rogers, his best friend, Duane Toki of Little Rock, and many family and friends.
Memorials can be made to the American Cancer Society or Cotton Belt Rail Historical Society, Inc., PO Box 2044,Pine Bluff, AR 71613.
