Stephen Richard Hopkins

Stephen Richard Hopkins, 55, born August 2, 1960 in Waco Texas, died peacefully at home on January 28, a beautiful, cloudless day. In 1965, he left the Lone Star State moving with his family to the heart of Acadiana - Lafayette, Louisiana. He received a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana State University in 1983. Upon graduation, he relocated to Houston, Texas to pursue a 30 year career in the oil and gas industry, following in the footsteps of his grandfathers who were pioneer drillers in Texas. His distinguished career culminated with Apache Corporation working as Region Drilling Manager of Gulf Coast Drilling. The cause of death was brain cancer.

At the age of four, his heroic nature began to formulate in the front yard tree. With the assistance of a personal costumer, aka - his mother - he assumed identities of Superman, Underdog, and Tarzan. Front yard trees gave way to branches of pipe and valves as his predisposed sense of adventure transformed into the world of high stakes drilling. It was here that he and his crews artfully extracted volatile hydrocarbons through tenacity, invention, and love of the game.

He is preceded in death by his brother Mark Woodson Hopkins. He is survived by a daughter, Emily Kathryne Hopkins; son Matthew Stephen Hopkins, and grandson, Barrett Christopher Mersinger; his parents, Woodson Hopkins and Wanda Linney Hopkins; two sisters, Charisse Hopkins Langla, and Angela Hopkins Patton, six nieces and nephews, and two adoring felines – Boots and Pinky.

The family wishes to thank Touch 4 Wellness and their team of outstanding caregivers for providing highly personalized and compassionate care during his illness; the premier medical teams and staff at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and the stellar Red Team at Houston Hospice who gently and skillfully guided him home. Additionally, a heartfelt thanks to all others that served, loved, and prayed for him in his greatest time of need.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to Louisiana State University College of Engineering, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston Hospice, or a charity of choice .

Services will be held at St. Vincent's de Paul Catholic Church, 6800 Buffalo Speedway on Wednesday February 3 at 10:30 AM. Interment follows at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery, 6900 Lawndale.