Carol Dawn Hopkins

Carol Dawn Taylor Hopkins, age 81, passed away on July 11, 2020.

Carol was born on October 10, 1938 to Owen A. Taylor and Media Lois Dunn. She grew up in Riverside, ID and was the youngest of three children. Like her mother, Carol loved learning and attended Ricks College, later graduating from BYU-Provo with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.

While she was at school, she waited for her sweetheart, Darwin Charles Hopkins, to complete a mission in Mexico, and two weeks after his return, they were married on July 16, 1959. Together they settled in Firth, ID and had seven children, Denton, Marva, Janette, Vaughn, Marvin, Julie, and Mark.

Carol’s life centered on faith and family. She had a simple but strong testimony of the gospel and served in various callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including three missions with her husband: Idaho Falls Temple Visitor’s Center (2002-03); Guayaquil, Ecuador (2003-04); and Atlanta, Georgia (2007-08). Carol loved gymnastics, dancing, gardening (particularly the raspberry patch), camping, gathering family history, and reading profusely (good thing Darwin knew how to build bookshelves). Her family will especially miss her smile, hugs, and never-ending supply of homemade cookies (for the record, Jared ate the last one).

Carol is survived by her husband, Darwin Hopkins; her sister, Delone McKnight; her children, Denton (Becky) Hopkins, Marva (Dale) Mecham, Janette (Marty) Smith, Vaughn (Donna) Hopkins, Marvin (Nedra) Hopkins, Julie (Del Ray) Miles, and Mark (Diantha) Hopkins, and her legacy will be carried on by 31 grandchildren and 44+ great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Vern Owen Taylor; and a granddaughter, Jamie Brooke Hopkins.

A celebration of her life (and 61st wedding anniversary) will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2020 for friends and family at 11:00 a.m. at Nalder Funeral Home in Shelley. All are welcome to attend. A live stream of the funeral service may be viewed on the Nalder Funeral Home Facebook page. The family will meet with friends Wednesday evening from 6:00 till 7:30 P.M. and Thursday morning from 9:00 till 10:40 A.M. at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Firth Cemetery.
















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