Sarah Esther Baker Hopkins

The family will receive visitors at Hanes Lineberry Sedgefield Chapel on Sunday, May 3, 2015, 6 to 8 pm. A celebration of life will be held on Monday, May 4, 2015, at 11 am at the Aycock Fellowship Ministries, 1036 South Aycock Street, Greensboro. A graveside service will immediately follow at Guilford Memorial Park.

Born in 1916 in Columbia, South Carolina, to John Theodore Baker and Pearl “Maggie” Milstead Baker, Mrs. Hopkins was the longest lived of the eight Baker children including two sisters, Eva and Rachel, and five brothers Cecil, Jesse, John, Willie and Joe.

As a young woman, she attended Holmes Bible College where she met the love of her life, Jasper Elmo Hopkins, Sr. They married on September 29, 1938, and began their family life in his home town of Martinsville, Virginia.

In October of that year, Esther and Elmo joined the Western North Carolina Conference of the Pentecostal Holiness Church and Elmo became a licensed minister. They served pastorates in Hillsborough, NC; Buffalo Ridge, VA; and Leaksville, NC. In Greensboro, NC, Elmo supervised construction of a campgrounds and headquarters for the Western Conference. When Elmo died suddenly, Esther moved the family back to Greensboro where she worked to raise her children on her own.

Esther applied for and was accepted into the Peace Corps in 1964. She served in Honduras until 1966. On her return to the States she worked for the Department of Social Services until her retirement in 1982. In that same year, Esther volunteered to help Agape Ministries in Haiti with their charity office. She served through the end of the Duvalier regime and returned home in 1986.

Mrs. Hopkins was predeceased by her parents and siblings. Also, her husband, J. Elmo in 1954; her son, “Bo” Hopkins in 2002; her daughter Evangeline Weaver in 2008; and her grandson, William “Billy” Burgin in 1974.

Mrs. Hopkins is survived by 41 direct descendants including her daughter, Sherrill Haney of Greensboro; her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Joe Witcher of Greensboro; her daughter and son-in-law, Donna and Doug Warner of Dearborn, Michigan; and her daughter-in-law, Callie Hopkins of Jamestown. Grandchildren and their spouses are Margaret and Charles Hudacko of Lillington; Beverly Weaver of Randleman; Deborah Hendren of Randleman; Mark L. and Kim Haney of Tell City, Indiana; John “Moose” Haney of Greensboro; David Weaver of Greensboro; Scott Burgin of Clinton; Michael and Kathy Haney of Greensboro; Todd and Pamela Hopkins of Franklinville; Lisa and Jon Minter of Bassett, VA; and Bryan and Carli Witcher of Greensboro. Great-grandchildren and spouses are Kathy and Hector Benitez of Gibsonville; Jeremy Haney of Tell City, Indiana; Mark A. Haney of Tell City, Indiana; Kaitlyn Dooley of Greensboro; Michaela Haney of Greensboro; Zachary Haney of Greensboro; Logan Haney of Archdale; Sam Haney of Archdale; Toby Hopkins of Franklinville; Angel Hendren of Randleman; Brandon Weaver of Greensboro; Christopher Weaver of Winter Harbour, Maine; Jessica Weaver of Greensboro; Nathan Minter of Bassett, Virginia; Sierra Minter of Bassett, Virginia; and Sarah Burgin of Autreyville. Great-great grandchildren are Bryna, Ian and Sadie Benitez of Gibsonville. Other surviving relations include her sister-in-law, Lucille Baker. Also, eight nephews, 10 nieces, two great-nephews and three great-nieces.

Esther has always been a strong supporter of the mission work. As such, the family requests that donations be made to the Agape Flights, 100 Airport Avenue E., Venice, FL 34285. Your gift will support missionary families and their ministries, reaching more than a million people a year with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and humanitarian aid in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.

The family wishes to thank Clapp’s Assisted Living for all the wonderful care they provided. The family’s gratitude also goes out to all the friends and family who visited Esther in her declining years, and to those who sent cards that kept our dear one’s