Obituary of Jack Calvin Hopps

Jack Calvin Hopps of Brooklyn Park, MN, passed away on August 15, 2023, at the age of 92.

Jack was born on December 11, 1930, to parents Jay and Ruth Hopps in Minneapolis, MN. He was the youngest of their two boys. Jack and brother, Jay Hopps Jr., had a wonderful childhood and spent summers in high school in Miller, SD, with their Aunt Martha.

Jack graduated from Patrick Henry High School in 1949 and went on to serve four years in the United States Air Force as a radar technician.

But before graduation, he would meet a girl that would change his life forever. During his senior year a blue-eyed blonde named Joanne Olson, a sophomore at the time, walked into Jack’s choir class and the rest was history. He said to himself, “I’m going to marry that girl.” And on March 7, 1952, he did. The two were married for 65 years. There was no greater adoration than that Jack had for his wife Joanne.

After his service, Jack went back to school to pursue a degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Minnesota. He graduated in 1959 and, after taking a few jobs early on in his career, he landed a gig at Honeywell where he worked for 28-years until his retirement in 1990.

Before his retirement, however, he and his brother, Jay, got their families together for a golf tournament to celebrate "Happy No-Finals week" which later turned into what the extended family knows as the Family Golf Tournament. This year the family is celebrating 46 years of golf, games, musical talent and lots of laughs. Jack was President of the Brooklyn Park Jaycees in 1964-65 and was one of the founders of Brooklyn Park’s community festival, Tater Daze.

He and Joanne hosted family Christmases where he took great pride in setting up his train track that circled the tree for the grandkids. Jack could often be found listening to jazz music or Frank Sinatra or practicing his golf swing on the nearest course. He was a faithful Golden Gopher fan. He found great companionship in his loyal Golden Retriever, Holly.

Jack was strong willed and had an enormous heart, witty sense of humor and the most kind soul. He was a critical thinker, loyal, loving and a devoted husband and father. Jack’s most cherished treasure was his family.

Jack was preceded in death by father Jay Hopps, mother Ruth Hopps, brother Jay Hopps, wife Joanne Hopps and son John Hopps.

He is survived by sons Mark (Doreen) Hopps and Todd (Melody) Hopps, grandchildren Jennifer (John) Hendricks, Sara Hopps, Adam (Kelsey) Hopps, John Hopps, Megan (Kyle) Thorstad, Rachel (Grant) Hopps and great grandchildren – Drew, Emma and Jack Hendricks, Claire and Cora Hopps and Everley Thorstad.

A celebration of life is planned for Monday, September 18, 2023, at Revive Church in Brooklyn Park, MN. Visitation at 10:00 am, service at 11:00 am and lunch to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization Jack supported wholeheartedly.