John T. Hopkins

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John Hopkins in 1999.

It is only appropriate that the first page of this publication highlight this unique individual and that all its future issues be dedicated to his memory. After all, this publication was his vision. And more importantly, his legacy to the town. It was definitely a labor of love, which we are finding out as we work and struggle to prepare an entertaining and informative publication.

As avid readers of the Canadice Chronicle, we waited impatiently for each issue. You just never knew what to expect. John’s love for history was always present. His personal prose on the current issues of the day was always entertaining and informative - that is once you sorted out the editorial comments scattered amongst the facts. Who could forget the interviews that graced the pages of the Chronicle from Historian Annie Recall, and Department of Transportation employee Sunken Rhodes to name a couple.

As I look back, John and I had an inauspicious beginning. I was one of his opponents for Supervisor in 1987. Needless to say, at that time I wasn’t one of his favorite individuals nor he mine. I find it a bit ironic that one of his primary issues during that campaign in 1987 was that I was a transplant to Canadice, when, he himself moved here in 1948 to raise his family with his lovely wife, Amy, whom he always referred to has his young bride, even after 60 years of marriage. Granted, he had many more years as a Canadice resident than I did at that time, but he wasn’t a founding family member either.

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John Hopkins as Supervisor.

Over the years John and I learned to have a great respect for each other. Many times I would rely on his advice on a political or town issue. And he was always willing to give his advice and opinion, sometimes, whether you wanted it or not. To this date, Bonnie Drake, the Town Clerk, and I still have the urge to call John when there is a puzzling question about the town, its records or past happenings. John was a wealth of information. His devotion to the town was and is unmatched. As I am sure so many of you may have experienced, John could be a bit cantankerous and opinionated. But as time went on and you got the opportunity to know him, he was such a many faceted individual. Intelligent, knowledgeable, stubborn, infuriating and a statesman come to mind. John was also a motivator. His methods of motivation may have been a bit unorthodox, but they usually worked. His object was to get you involved. It worked for me. Regardless of whatever situation presented itself, there was no doubt that John’s first priority was his love for Canadice, his “Jewel of the Fingerlakes” as he fondly called it.

John served as Supervisor from 1954 to 1959 and again from 1984 to 1987. He became Town Historian in 1990 and retained that position until his passing. He served on many committees over the years and as secretary to our appointed boards on occasion. During his lifetime he served in World War II, was President of Stone Construction, was a founding member of the Board of Trustees for what is now Finger Lakes Community College. At different times he was active in the Honeoye-Hemlock American Legion, Honeoye Central School Board, Honeoye Masons, Honeoye Rotary and the Honeoye Chamber of Commerce.

And as we all know, later in life he developed his passion for the written word. He wrote a column for the Honeoye Lake Courier, submitted guest articles to the Canandaigua Daily Messenger, the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle and finally, he founded this publication.

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John and Amy Hopkins.

John is survived by his wife Amy, children; Allen (Joan) Hopkins, Judy (Jeff) Tomkinson, John (Christina) Arden Hopkins and Andrew Hopkins, and grandchildren; David and Peter Hopkins, Emilie & Victoria Tomkinson and Geoffrey Arden Hopkins, along with many, many friends and admirers.

He once wrote,”Death is a reward because we go to heaven and strum a harp in a clean robe”. Well, I certainly hope he is enjoying his well deserved reward and those of us left behind will forever be changed for having crossed paths with such a diverse individual.

This tribute by Kristine Singer - The Canadice Chronicle, Summer 2001.