Obituary for Talfryn Hopkins
I lost my best friend Tal, the love of my life, the father of my children, one of the kindest men I knew. Tal passed peacefully surrounded by all his children and myself, Mary his loving wife, on August 21st after a courageous battle with COPD and Emphysema at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.
Talfryn was born on the 19th of July 1951 in St John New Brunswick and is predeceased by his father William Wasson Hopkins, mother Verna Marguerite Hope Belyea and step mother Flora Steeves. Tal was the older brother to Marilyn (Larry, deceased) and Deborah (Dennis) and will always be remembered by his nieces and nephews and their children.
Tal was very sick as a young child with asthma and his loving parents had him cared for by the Mayo Clinic in Boston. Due to Tal’s health the family moved to Peterborough when he was a teenager where he attended Adam Scott Collegiate. After highschool he attended Ryerson in Toronto where we met.
We wedded in October 1972 in Oakville Ontario, this October would’ve been our 50th wedding anniversary. Tal was the immensely proud father of his 4 children, Matthew (Kara), Michael (Lina), Patrick (Katie) and Shannon (Graeme) and even more proud Papa to our grandchildren Asher Rowan Morris, Emma Luisa, Maxwell Castro, Joseph William, Everly Lynn, Macie James, Jack Rowan, Victoria Jane and Beth Mary.
Tal started out his long proud career as an auditor for the CIBC and then into the life insurance business with London Life. When we moved to Peterborough with our young family Tal continued his career as a salesman. From there he moved onto his childhood dream as a long haul truck driver and spent many years on the road travelling Canada and the United States.
Post retirement in 2015 after a health decline, Tal and I spent many years at our trailer in St Martins, New Brunswick where we created many wonderful memories with our friends and family.
He enjoyed photography, and had a special talent in candidly capturing those he loved. Forever learning new instruments including the dulcimer. Expanding his world, always with a book close by and listening to music of great story tellers. Tal learned the game of cribbage from his father, he always thoroughly enjoying games with friends and family and the conversations and laughs that accompanied them. From camping at an early age with his parents to passing on that love of camping to our children who have now passed it on to our grandchildren.
Tal was always happy to be with family over special occasions and holidays. No family get together was ever short in stories, jokes and hearty laughter. Which is one of the things Tal enjoyed most in life.
Tal will be missed forever and thought of often and will continue to live on in all of us.
Cremation has taken place at Ashburnham Funeral Home. We hope you can please join us in celebration of our beloved Tal, Friday September 2nd 2pm-4pm at the Lions Club in East City. A special thanks to the Palliative Care team at PRHC.
In Lieu of flowers we welcome charitable donations to Lakefield Animal Welfare Society or PRHC Foundation.
Talfryn was born on the 19th of July 1951 in St John New Brunswick and is predeceased by his father William Wasson Hopkins, mother Verna Marguerite Hope Belyea and step mother Flora Steeves. Tal was the older brother to Marilyn (Larry, deceased) and Deborah (Dennis) and will always be remembered by his nieces and nephews and their children.
Tal was very sick as a young child with asthma and his loving parents had him cared for by the Mayo Clinic in Boston. Due to Tal’s health the family moved to Peterborough when he was a teenager where he attended Adam Scott Collegiate. After highschool he attended Ryerson in Toronto where we met.
We wedded in October 1972 in Oakville Ontario, this October would’ve been our 50th wedding anniversary. Tal was the immensely proud father of his 4 children, Matthew (Kara), Michael (Lina), Patrick (Katie) and Shannon (Graeme) and even more proud Papa to our grandchildren Asher Rowan Morris, Emma Luisa, Maxwell Castro, Joseph William, Everly Lynn, Macie James, Jack Rowan, Victoria Jane and Beth Mary.
Tal started out his long proud career as an auditor for the CIBC and then into the life insurance business with London Life. When we moved to Peterborough with our young family Tal continued his career as a salesman. From there he moved onto his childhood dream as a long haul truck driver and spent many years on the road travelling Canada and the United States.
Post retirement in 2015 after a health decline, Tal and I spent many years at our trailer in St Martins, New Brunswick where we created many wonderful memories with our friends and family.
He enjoyed photography, and had a special talent in candidly capturing those he loved. Forever learning new instruments including the dulcimer. Expanding his world, always with a book close by and listening to music of great story tellers. Tal learned the game of cribbage from his father, he always thoroughly enjoying games with friends and family and the conversations and laughs that accompanied them. From camping at an early age with his parents to passing on that love of camping to our children who have now passed it on to our grandchildren.
Tal was always happy to be with family over special occasions and holidays. No family get together was ever short in stories, jokes and hearty laughter. Which is one of the things Tal enjoyed most in life.
Tal will be missed forever and thought of often and will continue to live on in all of us.
Cremation has taken place at Ashburnham Funeral Home. We hope you can please join us in celebration of our beloved Tal, Friday September 2nd 2pm-4pm at the Lions Club in East City. A special thanks to the Palliative Care team at PRHC.
In Lieu of flowers we welcome charitable donations to Lakefield Animal Welfare Society or PRHC Foundation.