Edward "Eddie" Hopkins

Obituary Edward "Eddie" Doxey Hopkins, 75, a/k/a "the telephone man" died Monday March 5, 2018 at his home in Newport. He was born in July of 1942 to parents Dorothy Doxey Hopkins & Raymond Hopkins (both deceased) in FL. His family includes his wife, Diana Brower Hopkins; two sisters, Dorothy "Dattie" Lee of Jacksonville, NC and Rae Creekmore of Maitland, FL (deceased); two brothers, Bill Hopkins of Newport, (deceased) and Shuggy Hopkins of Beaufort; a daughter, Tracy Lee Hopkins, his ex-wife Becky Garner Hopkins, both of Greenville, and a stepson Daryl Brower of Emerald Isle. The Hopkins family moved to Havelock in 1942 and remained until Eddies parents demise. Eddie lived with his brothers and sisters until he joined the Army in 1961. He was stationed in Fort Jackson, SC. Mr. Hopkins was transferred to Fort Belvoir VA, then to Fort Bliss, TX and later sent to Key West, FL during the Cuban Crisis in 1963. He was proud to serve his county. Following military service, he worked for ten years with C&P Telephone in Virginia. In 1973 he relocated back to the Newport area and worked with Carolina Telephone d/b/a Sprint, Embarq and CenturyLink. He took pride in serving his community. After 43 years of telephone installation and repair service, he retired in April 2008. Eddie very much enjoyed the water and during his early years spent many weekends on his boat clamming, fishing, and shrimping with his brother Bill. When Eddie was not on the water, he was home working in his yard dragging a watering hose around his lawn in the summer months (inside joke), cutting his grass and doing landscaping duty. Eddie took great pride in making his yard look beautiful. When he wasnt outside, he would enjoy watching sports on TV which included basketball, football and especially golf. He and his wife Diana were often seen around the area having breakfast or lunch with friends and family and working around their home. Eddie was a larger than life gentle giant. He wished to leave this life as quietly as he entered and lived it. There will be no service, no need for flowers or donations. The family extends their thanks and appreciation for all the support they received from family, friends and co-workers during his lengthy illness. No Service 1-888-579-7953 Code: 2002089P Facts Born: July 16, 1942 Place of Birth: Jacksonville, FL Death: March 5, 2018 Place of Death: Newport, NC Occupation: Technician Services You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of Edward "Eddie" Hopkins