Kathleen R. Hopping

Kathleen Regina Kearns Hopping, 94, of Denver, CO, a devoted wife, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother passed away Tuesday, February 6, 2018, at Hallmark Nursing Center. A funeral service will be held Saturday, February 17, 2018, 2:00pm, at Rosewood-Kellum Funeral Home in Virginia Beach, VA. Entombment will follow in Rosewood Memorial Park. Kathleen was the middle child of three children born in William and Ida Kearns on January 19, 1924 in Pittsburg, PA. She graduated from Crafton Highschool in 1942. Following graduation, she joined the civil service, working in library science and traveling to and working in exciting places such as Panama and Japan. She met her husband while living in Japan and they married in Florida in 1949. They went on to have 8 children, 2 boys and 6 girls. Life was busy as a homemaker and once the children were grown, Kathleen returned to work in the secretarial field. She later joined her husband in retirement, traveling and visiting friends and family. After her husband’s passing, she lived with and was cared for by her daughter, Teri and family in VA and then her son, Pete and family in FL. Later, Kathleen moved to Colorado and into the Hallmark Nursing Center where she enjoyed her many friends, being a part of the nursing home community, and participating in as many of the recreational activities as she was able, especially her favorite playing Bingo. Kathleen is preceded in death by her parents, William and Ida Kearns, her brother, William Kearns, her sister, Elizabeth “Beth” Huckins, her husband of 57 years, Harvey Charles “Pete” Hopping and her oldest son, Dan Hopping. Kathleen is survived by her 7 remaining children, Kathleen “Kasey” Loritsch of Sterling, VA, Pete (Sue) Hopping of Dade City, FL, Susan (Rich) Baker of Richmond, VA, Patty Hopping of Sterling, VA, Teri (Bill) Will of Chesapeake, VA, Alison (Curt) Schaber of Matthews, NC, and Mary “DiDi” (Tom) Kruk of Englewood, CO. Additionally, she has 28 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren. Kathleen lived a full and long life. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the staff of Hallmark Nursing Center where Kathleen has resided for the past 7 years, and to Suncrest Hospice for their support during her final days.