My Mother's Obituary

Katherine Mary Hopwood

February 25, 1950 – October 19, 2010

Katherine passed away peacefully in her sleep of natural causes at her home in Bruno, Minnesota. She was one of four children born to parents Lorraine and the late Reginald Hopwood. She will forever be remembered by her beloved children Vincent Hopwood, Kari Heckt and Aaron Hopwood, treasured grandchildren Sirí and Brandeis Hopwood, Melanie, Winston and Jackson Heckt, Audrey and Ellis Hopwood, devoted sisters Victoria and Tamara Hopwood, loving brother Jon Hopwood, and special friend Billy, along with countless other friends and family whom were blessed to know her.

Katherine was a graduate of St. Peter Claver Catholic School, Marshall Junior High School, and St. Paul Central High School (class of 1968), where she was recognized as an outstanding athlete. Her professional life was marked by her devotion to helping others. During her time in the Twin Cities, Katherine worked as a community activist for various organizations including Sabathani Community Center and Southside Neighborhood Housings Services. After working in the Twin Cities for more than 20 years, she moved north to Bruno, Minnesota, where she continued with her desire to be a presence in the community, working for a variety of organizations, including the St. Croix Boy’s Camp and, most recently, for the Duluth Transit Authority.

During the remaining years of her life, Katherine worked hard to realize her dream, turning a small cabin in the woods into a beautiful home – her own slice of heaven. Even as she built a network of close friends in her adopted home of Bruno, she worked hard to maintain ties to her former life, constantly driving back to the Twin Cities to visit family and friends. A film aficionado and cowboy history buff, Katherine loved sharing the joys of life with everyone she met. She touched the lives of many, many people with her ever-present smile, boundless energy, and endless generosity. She was a strong woman who never judged others, choosing instead to celebrate those she knew with her time and her willingness to do whatever she could to make their lives a little brighter and their burdens a little lighter.