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Tuesday, January 21, 2014 Charles Franklin Hopkins, 93, formerly of Marble Hill, Mo., died Thursday, January 16, 2014, at Chateau Girardeau.

He was born August 18, 1920, to Charles F. Hopkins Sr. and Della Rowland Hopkins of Marble Hill.

Charles was the fifth of six children and was preceded in death by a brother, Jack (Betty) Hopkins; and four sisters, Claire (Fred) Ricketts, Mary (Doc) Hahn, Marjorie (Charlie) Bollinger and Kathryn (Jim) Hathaway.

He and Dixie M. Rodgers were married April 14, 1946, in Bolivar, Mo. She survives. To that union were born four children, Mark R. (Shirley) Hopkins, J. Gregg (Ann) Hopkins, Sarah M. Hopkins and Samuel F. Hopkins. He was preceded in death by sons Mark and Sam.

Charles was grandfather of Jacob M. and Nathan A. Surface, Joshua R. Hopkins and Ashley (Hopkins) Burns, Rachel Morgan Hopkins and Erin E. Hopkins. He was great-grandfather of Taylor M. Burns.

He served in the U.S. Coast Guard aboard the USS Cambria in the Pacific and Asiatic theaters of World War II.

Prior to his service, he and his parents and five siblings worked together at Hopkins Mercantile in Marble Hill. Charles and his brother Jack were partners in several businesses in Marble Hill and Cape Girardeau. He retired from business with the closing of Hopkins Brothers Furniture and Hardware in 1984.

Charles was a trained vocalist and shared his talent at many celebrations of life. He served many years as deacon and song leader at First Baptist Church in Marble Hill. More recently, he was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau, serving as deacon, elder and member of the choir.

He was a cheerful volunteer for many years, delivering Meals on Wheels and was recently honored for his 20 years service with Southeast Hospice. His love of history and his native Bollinger County led to his service, along with Dixie, on the board of the Will Mayfield Heritage Foundation, establishing the Bollinger County Museum of Natural History.

In their 67 years of marriage, Charles and Dixie enjoyed travel, antiquing, genealogy and loving many friends and family. Their many nieces and nephews came to know them as surrogate parents after the passing of their own.

Charles embraced life enthusiastically. He will be remembered for his generous and loving spirit as well as a gardener's green thumb. He shared many bouquets of roses from his garden, which he loved and cared for as he did his family, employees of the stores and family friends.

A memorial will be held February 8 at First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau.

Visitation will be in the church parlor at noon, with a service following at 2:30 p.m. Dr. Kim Nelson will officiate. Interment will be in Bollinger County Memorial Park at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Will Mayfield Heritage Foundation, P.O. Box 676, Marble Hill, Mo., 63764, or in his name to a charity of your choice.

McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau is in charge of arrangements.