Roy Dean Hopkins

Roy Dean Hopkins passed away peacefully on June 18, 2026, at the age of 81. He was born on March 1, 1945, in Burlington, North Carolina, to R.S. Hopkins and Etta Rebecca Kennedy.

Roy was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Wilma Ruth Hopkins.

He is survived by his brother, Bennie Lee Hopkins; his children, Deanna Vernon, Darin Hopkins, Dana Hopkins Barber, Gary Keaton, Kim Hulbert, Robbie Keaton, and Paul Keaton; 15 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends.

Roy spent his childhood in the Old Alamance community of Burlington, where he enjoyed the simple pleasures of post-World War II mill village life. During the 1950s, his father’s work took the Hopkins family to several parts of the country before they ultimately settled in Dallas, Texas. Roy graduated from Sunset High School in 1963 and soon afterward began building both a career and a family.

Throughout his early career, Roy held a variety of managerial and executive positions in the Dallas area. He loved telling stories about the people he met and the experiences he enjoyed during the exciting days of 1960s Dallas. His career eventually led him to Florida, where he managed a growing wholesale pool company. Wherever life took him, Roy earned the respect of those around him through hard work, steady leadership, and an easy way with people.

While living in Orlando, Roy met the love of his life, Wilma. Together they built a life filled with love, laughter, and family before eventually returning to Burlington—the place Roy had always considered home.

Back in North Carolina, Roy spent many years at Stearns Chrysler, where he proudly sold Chrysler and Jeep automobiles throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. He often considered those years among the most rewarding of his professional life, second only to the joy of being a father and grandfather.

Roy loved traveling in his motorhome, watching golf on a quiet afternoon, spending time with his grandchildren, and simply enjoying life. He was also a devoted, lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan from the team’s very beginning and rarely missed an opportunity to cheer them on. Burlington was always home in his heart, and he was grateful to spend his later years surrounded by family and lifelong friends.

If you met Roy, chances are you left with a smile. If you remember him today, then share that smile with somebody else.

And if you need a little help remembering Roy, run through a Biscuitville drive-thru, order a biscuit with sausage gravy, enjoy every bite, and think of him. He certainly would have.

A life well lived. A smile well shared.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 from 4pm-7pm at McClure Funeral Service in Graham.