Ron was kind, loving and hard working
Ronald Francis James Hopkinson: 1935-2018
RONALD Francis James Hopkinson was born at Toowoomba Mothers Hospital on the March 27, 1935 to Ernest William Hopkinson and Catherine Ann Hopkinson, sister to Eunice Joyce Hopkinson. Ron lived at Lucy Street Cambooya.
His father Ernie was a mechanic and mother Catherine was a book keeper.
As a child Ron attended Cambooya State School until Year 7.
After school he worked at the local Post Office in Cambooya and would collect mail from the train.
He later went to Scots College boarding school in Warwick for two years.
Son Jamie recalled his Dad telling him of his time at Scots College when all the boys were whistling at a girl going past the classroom and he was the last to be heard whistling so he received the cane for his naughty behaviour.
Ron started working at Glen Brae at the age of 14 years doing tractor work during the school holidays.
He loved driving Caterpillar tractors.
He delivered fuel for his father to local farmers at the age of 14 years as his father owned Neptune Fuels and a mechanic shop in Cambooya.
One day the local policeman pulled him up on one of his trips and told him to come get a licence as he didn’t have one.
He used to drive an old Hupmobile ute out to the farm at Glen Brae to work. Later on he brought a Prefect car while he was doing National Service.
At the age of 19 Ron was called up to do National Service in 1954 which was a compulsory six months service.
While he was doing National Service he was lucky to survive a widow maker branch falling off a gum tree that hit that back of his neck while he was polishing his boots at the Wacol camp.
It knocked him unconscious and put him in hospital.
Ron met Joyce after she came home to Glen Brae from boarding at Fairholme in 1950, they were both 15.
Following a trip to Adelaide Joyce was very sick in bed with encephalitis and on her birthday Ron tied a note to Tott (the family cocker spaniel dog) to wish Joyce a happy birthday.
Ron and Joyce started going out to play tennis, social dances and the pictures on Saturday night. Joyce would have to milk the cow early so they could get into town for the pictures as there would be a line up to get in.
Ron later partnered Joyce for her debut at a Highland Ball in Dalby.
Ron and Joyce became engaged on Joyce’s 21st birthday in May 1956 and they married the following year in October at St Stephens Presbyterian Church in Neil St Toowoomba. The reception was held at the Weis Restaurant.
Ron and Joyce went to the Gold Coast for their honeymoon.
Ron and Joyce moved into their own home around the hill from the main house which they lived in for 16 years until Joyce’s parents moved into town to live in West Street.
Cheryl Joy Hopkinson was born on the November 26, 1959 which was a very wet year and Joyce had to stay in town before she arrived.
Jeanette Anne Hopkinson was born October 18, 1961 before the harvest which was bit better planning for the farm.
Neil Alexander Hopkinson was born February 16, 1969 and kept Joyce waiting for one week before arriving.
Jamie Ernest Hopkinson was born July 9, 1972 and again was one week late.
Ron loved the farming life and his tractors, especially Caterpillar tractors.
He grew a variety of crops including sorghum, sunflowers, wheat, barley, linseed, canary and millett.
Ron had a few head of stock which he grew very attached to and had names for all his stock.
He became very upset when they got sick and also when it came time to send them to markets.
Jeanette came home from Beaudesert Hospital on days off to find Dad struggling with a cow calving and assisted by pulling the calf out with the tractor.
Jamie remembers helping Dad on one real wet night delivering a breech calf and slipping around in the mud.
Both the boys Neil and Jamie have memories of assisting Dad with branding the calves and other jobs.
Jamie remembers one occasion the job was mucked up and they ended up with a bull.
All the children including Joyce remember making and packing lunches for Dad and delivering them where ever he was working on the farm.
Apple pie and ice cream was Ron’s favourite dessert – especially Betty’s pie.
Ron taught all the children how to drive in the old Chevy ute which copped quite a battering.
Joyce recalls the day when Ron came in off the Caterpillar tractor and said “I have left the tractor near the shed now don’t you or the girls get in the tilly and back into the tractor Well guess who went out and reversed into the tractor? Ron and Joyce loved holidaying at Kirra and Coolangatta on the Gold Coast and later on staying at Caloundra.
Ron took ill in 2005 after one holiday at Caloundra and was admitted to St Andrews Hospital Toowoomba with pulmonary embolisms and DVT and spent his 70th birthday in hospital.
Ron and Joyce recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at Rudds Pub in Nobby with family and close friends.
Ron was a grandfather of six: Robyn, Nick, Chris, Melissa, Adelaide and Genevieve and Great grandfather to Annelisse.
Ron’s sister Joy passed away in August 24, 2017.
Ron was an uncle to John and Malcolm Metzroth and Glenyce Sippel.
Ron passed away suddenly on February 21, 2018 at home on the farm.
Ron was a kind, loving and hardworking gentleman that will be dearly missed by all the family and friends.
May he rest in peace now.