Obituary: Jeffrey Hopkins

jeffrey-hopkins
Jeffrey Hopkins

Jeffrey Keyes Hopkins aged 56, died peacefully April 24, 2020 after a courageous, dignified battle with cancer.
Born 1963, in Stamford, CT, the third son of the late Richard Appleton Hopkins and Heather (Steele) Hopkins, Jeff grew up in Rowayton, CT.

An avid horseback rider, Jeff’s love of horses led him to finishing his high school days at Vershire School, Vermont. He obtained his degree in hospitality at Southern New Hampshire College and went on to become the youngest GM with Uno Restaurants. It was at the San Diego location he met his soon to be wife Julie, an RN from England. The couple relocated immediately following their honeymoon in 1990 to Missouri, where Jeff opened new restaurants for Unos.

A year later they were blessed with their daughter Erin and returned to Connecticut to be near family where they settled at the beach community in Fairfield. Dylan entered the picture not too long after and Fairfield became home for the next twenty-four years.

Jeff owned and operated Mackenzies, a landmark restaurant in Old Greenwich for over two decades, before deciding it was time for a fresh start and began volunteering for Pegasus, a therapeutic riding program in Brewster, NY.

Jumping headfirst at this opportunity to give back, Jeff found an unbridled passion and a special gift working with the special needs community and the horses with which he facilitated connections. With his enthusiastic devotion, caring, hard work, and never ending sense of humor, Jeff quickly obtained his certification to become the head male therapeutic riding instructor at Pegasus.

Jeff is survived by his wife Julie (Plummeridge), children Erin and Dylan, mother Heather, sister Debbie (Tommy) McNamara, brothers Chip (Sonja) and Jay Hopkins, nieces Carrie (Shane) Cassady, Laurie (TJ) Lichaj, Chelsea (Kenny) Pinkerton, Elshia and Tre Hopkins, great-nieces, many in-laws, nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, cousins worldwide and his extended families of Mackenzies and Pegasus.

He was predeceased by his father Richard Appleton Hopkins and brother Dave St. Clair Hopkins.

Jeff will be remembered for his infectious boy-like smile, caring, patience, kindness and never ending sense of humor. He lived by his father’s mantra, “If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life,” and by the Grateful Dead’s line, “Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile.”

A memorial will be held later in the year as current events allow. Gifts in his memory may be made to Pegasus at pegasustr.org/donate/ or by phone, at (845) 669-8235 x110.

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