Mary Woolsey Hopkins

Mary Evelyn Woosley Hopkins was born on September 6, 1950 to parents, Joe Paul Woolsey II and Catherine Virginia Wirth Woolsey, in El Dorado, KS and was named after her two grandmothers. Her brother, Robert Joe "Bob" Woolsey was born on June 19, 1952 and remained very close all of their lives. She spent her childhood years growing up in Tyro and Caney, located in SE Kansas, moving with her mother and brother to Wichita in 1966. She graduated from Wichita West High School on 1968 and attended Butler County Jr. College.

On May 10, 1970 she married Dean Hopkins in the Trinity United Methodist Church in Wichita. Her grandparents were also married in that church in 1921. She was a member of the Caney United Methodist Church in Caney, KS and Palmyra Baptist Church, in Rural Benton. All of her growing up years she couldn't wait to become a mother and she was blessed with two sons who have been the light of her life.

She worked in car dealership offices in Wichita beginning at age 16 part time and then full time for 6 years until Dean and her moved to Whitewater in 1975. Dean and Mary purchased the Chaney Insurance Agency in Whitewater and operated it together as Personal, Commercial, Life and Health Insurance Agents. They owned and operated the agency which they renamed Hopkins insurance of Whitewater, for 13 years. Five years after purchasing the insurance agency they added real estate and the company was then known as Hopkins Insurance and Real Estate. They sold the insurance agency a few years later and concentrated on growing their real estate business. They sold their real estate business in 1996 and Dean went into his music ministry full time. Mary went to work for J.P. Weigand & Sons and was an agent with them for over 20 years. She has acted in the capacity of Branch Manager/Broker of several branch offices as well as full time sales.

She was survived by her husband, Dean; two sons, Ryan and his wife Lisa and Jade and his wife Jenny; her wonderful grandchildren who hold the key to her heart, and they know it! She loved being a grandma/nana for sure. She had 6 grandsons, Tanner, Conner, Parker, Griffin, Taten and Knox; 2 granddaughters, Morgan and Kinsley. Griffin and Tate's mother also bleesed her with two step granddaughters, Sidney and Bayley as well as 3 great grandsons, Forrest, Garrett and Landon; her half brother Joe Mavis and his son Jeff of Arizona; and some very special and dear friends that she loved and cared for. She would like to thank you for your friendship throghout the years

She was preceded in death by parents, Paul and Virginia Woolsey; grandparents, Gilbert and Marietta Wirth of Wichita; Joe Paul Woolsey I and Evelyn Woolsey of Brownsville, Texas; and her brother who passed away at an early age of 59 and who she missed so much.