Obituary of Jocelyn Wainwright Hopkins
JOCELYN WAINWRIGHT BOWDEN REHDER HOPKINS
Born June 5, 1921 in Montréal, Québec.
After a long and stimulating life, Jocelyn Hopkins, a lover of music, cottages, the arts and ideas died in Kingston on 15 July, 2019. She was born June 5, 1921 in Montréal to Kate (Wainwright) and George Alfred Bowden. In 1941 she married John Edward (Ned) Rehder. After the war, Jocelyn and Ned settled in Ottawa where Ned, an engineer, worked for the Department of Mines. At that time, Jocelyn began her lifelong involvement with the Unitarian church, which continued after they moved to Point Claire, a suburb of Montréal, in 1952. Their big old house was full of books, music, discussion, great food and lots of kids. Always an activist, Jocelyn was involved in the issues of the day, particularly access to abortion, woman's rights and education. She served as a school commissioner for many years and started a late career as a director at the National Film Board, winning awards for her filmstrips. She married Gerard (Gerry) Hopkins in 1985, creating a large extended family of which they were both proud. They eventually settled in Gerry's hometown of Kingston.
Jocelyn is survived by her husband Gerry, and by her five children and their spouses: Christine and her husband Lee Horne, Eric and his wife Maxine, Jonathan, Mark, and Michael and his wife Jane Biggs. She will be missed by her four Hopkins step-children: Bruce and his wife Carole Russell, Pamela and her husband Alex Goncharenko, Diana and her husband John Rosseel, and Phillip and his wife Mary. She leaves behind six grandchildren: Andrea, Tony, Shawn, Jamie, Mark, Marianne, Rebecca; seven step-grandchildren: Bill, Thom, Justin, Des, Nickolas, Madi and Natasha; six great-grandchildren.
A reception with family and friends will be held at James Reid Funeral Home, 1900 John Counter Boulevard (rear door) from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, on Tuesday, August 6, 2019. If desired, donations may be made to The Alzheimer's Society, 20 Eglington Avenue, 16th floor, Toronto, Ontario M4A 1K8.
