Joseph Sebastian Hopkins
Joseph S. Hopkins, a resident of Amherst and formerly of Worcester, had entered his 9th decade when he passed away on June 6, 2007. He had visits from family and friends all day before he slipped away from us.
Joe is survived by his long time companion and friend, Margo Crist of Amherst; his children Mark Hopkins and his companion Joanne Pepper of Manchester, NH; Stephen Hopkins and his wife Jodi of Sandwich, MA; Susan Hopkins of Worcester, MA; Martin Hopkins and his wife Karen of Sutton, MA and Michael Hopkins and his wife Elizabeth of Suffolk, VA. He is also survived by 16 grandchildren: Ryan, Bekka and Tyler Hopkins; Adam, Bridgette, Julia, Brennan and Staci Hopkins; Joline Spencer, Sabrina, Samantha, and Jared Dupras; Cameron and Meagan Hopkins; and Connor and Caitlin Hopkins. His special delight was a great grand daughter Kaileigh St. Germain.
Joe was the son of Edith (Clancy) and Joseph H.J. Hopkins and grew up in the Allston section of Boston. He was educated in Boston schools, beginning at St. Anthony’s parish school and Boston Technical High School. His education was interrupted when he joined the army to fight in World War II. He was part of the force that landed on Utah Beach three weeks after D Day. His unit marched through France and into Germany before the war was concluded.
Joe's education continued in Boston as he completed degrees at Boston University and his Master’s degree in Library Science at Simmons College.
He married his neighborhood love, Mary Alice McKenney, on October 17, 1953 and they began a family while in Providence, R.I. on his first library job. The family continued to grow as he began the first of a series of library director positions. After Mary Alice passed away in 1973, Joe successfully met the challenge of raising a young family of five as a single father.
Joe had a long career of service to public libraries which was marked by his strong sense of values and purpose. He served as the Head Librarian in Meadville, PA, and Watertown, MA before serving as Head Librarian at the Worcester MA Public Library for over twenty years before retiring. During his tenure in Worcester, Joe led the library to achieving many accomplishments that have had a long-term impact on its continued success as a public institution. These accomplishments include the sale of the Stubbs drawings to create an endowment for the library, development of the C/W MARS system to facilitate the sharing of books between 140+ libraries throughout the region, establishing a branch library at Great Brook Valley, and preserving quality library services during the budgetary challenges of the 1970s and 1980s.
In retirement, Joe continued to serve libraries in a series of important volunteer positions that culminated when Governors Cellucci and Romney each appointed Joe to successive terms on the Commonwealth’s Board of Library Commissioners, where he served as Chairman of the Board for two years. As a Commissioner, he participated in many events at libraries across the state and became known for his articulate and passionate speeches advocating the role of libraries in our state and society.
In honor of his years of public service, the Massachusetts Library Association inducted Joe into its Hall of Fame in May of 2006. He was lauded as a dedicated leader, mentor, colleague and voice in his profession. He was an administrator with a thoughtful and deliberate style, building and rebuilding programs as he inspired those he mentored and led. He showed remarkable political skills and knew how to accomplish his goals for libraries. The term “sometimes wily” was evoked to describe his work within Massachusetts political circles.
Joe was a dearly loved son, father, companion, brother, grandfather and great-grandfather. He showed us strength in the face adversity as he fought his way through life’s challenges. He was proud of professional contributions and achievements in the public service of libraries. However, his proudest achievement was his family. Joe’s imprint is clear on each of his children, each grandchild, and most recently his great granddaughter.
In his retirement, Joe pursued art as a hobby with a flair inside and outside his home, he doted on music and embraced it as therapy. His dancing, usually with his longtime companion, has been his hallmark for many years. He was whimsical, mischievous, loving and a bit mysterious to us all. His talents, love of life, constant creative expression, affectionate response to others, and his total devotion to his family inspired and gave strength to us all. He was deeply treasured by many. Joe, take joy in knowing you will live on in all those you touched. We will miss you so.
Services for Joe will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church at 551 Pleasant Street in Worcester at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 11th. Visiting hours at the Callahan Fay Brothers Funeral Home at 61 Myrtle Street in Worcester will be Sunday, June 10th from 4 to 7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Joe’s memory to any of his favorite libraries, which include: The Worcester Public Library (go to www.worcpublib.org/support/donations.html), the Jones Library Inc. in Amherst (go to www.joneslibrary.org/trustees/annualfund.html), and the WEB DuBois Library at UMass Amherst (go to www.library.umass.edu/about.html).
For directions or to send an online condolence please visit www.callahanfay.com