Rex Hopkins

Rex Lee Hopkins was born in Richey Montana on January 1, 1921. He was the son of Cecil Hopkins and Klova Davis Hopkins. He passed away in Palm Harbor Florida on June 21st, 2017. As an infant, his family moved from Montana back to the paternal family home in Dunnegan, Missouri where he grew up. He went to school and graduated from Fair Play High School. Then he attended Rolla School of Mines attaining a Civil Engineering Degree. In the midst of World War II he enlisted in the United States Army and was assigned to the Air Corp where he hoped to be a pilot. His eyesight prevented that. He was sent Okinawa to repair the B-29s that were bombing Japan and remained there until discharge in May 1946. Before deployment he married Helene LaRew in February 1944. Their daughter Helene Jo was born in October 1945. Rex worked as a Professional Engineer. He was employed by private firms in Springfield, Lamar and Joplin before he started his career in 1956 at the Missouri Department of Transportation in Springfield retiring in 1983. Throughout this '. time he also worked locally as a surveyor in Bolivar and the surrounding area. In 1981 he and Helene moved back to his family home in Dunnegan and lived there until Helene was killed in a car wreck in 1988. In 1996 he married Dorothy Burchett. They had a home in Bolivar and during the winter, one in Tucson AZ. In 2016, their health declined and they moved to a residential care center in the Clearwater, Florida area near Dorothy's daughter Sherryl. Rex and his wife Helene were among the original organizers of the Dunnegan Rural Fire Department. He also served as the first Chief of the Fire Department. His hobbies included fine wood working that he enjoyed throughout his life. In later years he became a champion shuffleboard player. Rex was preceded in death by his parents and his first wife, Helene. He is survived by his wife Dorothy of Clearwater FL, daughter Jo Roberts and her husband Bill of Bolivar, grandsons Wes Strader and Dan Strader and great-granddaughter Exie Strader all of Springfield, and step-daughter Sherryl Florko and her husband Ken of Clearwater FL. Friends may call at the Butler Funeral Home Chapel from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday. Graveside funeral service and burial will be held Tuesday, June 27 at 10 am at the Greenwood Cemetery in Bolivar. Memorial donations may be made to the Dunnegan Rural Fire Department c/o Butler Funeral Home, Bolivar. Arrangements under the care and direction of the Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar.

Rex Hopkins

January 1, 1921 - June 21, 2017