# Roy M. Hopkins

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"Hoppy Hopkins" redirects here. For the figure John "Hoppy" Hopkins from the UK underground movement, see [John Hopkins (political activist)](/source/John_Hopkins_(political_activist)).

**Roy M. Hopkins**, known as **Hoppy Hopkins** (June 10, 1943 – November 23, 2006), was a [Democratic](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) member of the [Louisiana House of Representatives](/source/Louisiana_House_of_Representatives) for the District 1 parishes of [Caddo](/source/Caddo_Parish,_Louisiana) and [Bossier](/source/Bossier_Parish,_Louisiana).[1] He served from 1988 until his death.[2]

## Political career

Hopkins began his political life as an [alderman](/source/Alderman), and later [mayor](/source/Mayor), of [Oil City, Louisiana](/source/Oil_City,_Louisiana).[2][3] In 1979, he was elected to the [Caddo Parish Police Jury](/source/Police_jury).[4] Hopkins was also the first president of the Caddo Parish Commission, which replaced the Police Jury in December 1984.[5]

Hopkins won his House seat when the [incumbent](/source/Incumbent), Republican [Bruce Lynn](/source/Bruce_Lynn) of [Gilliam](/source/Gilliam,_Louisiana), decided to bow out of the 1987 contest.[2] Hopkins defeated Republican Kenneth "Ken" Frazier, and fellow Democrat Norbert Johnson.[citation needed]

Republican David Hunter tried unsuccessfully to defeat Hopkins in 1991. Democrats Kirby Kelly and Philip Green challenged him, and lost, in 2003.[citation needed]

## Legislation

The *[Shreveport Times](/source/The_Times_(Shreveport))* described Hopkins as "adept at getting bills passed and maneuvering behind the scenes to kill legislation he opposed." In the Louisiana House, Hopkins supported the LSU Health Sciences Center in [Shreveport, Louisiana](/source/Shreveport,_Louisiana) and the establishment of the [Louisiana State Oil and Natural Gas Museum](/source/Louisiana_State_Oil_and_Natural_Gas_Museum) in Oil City. He wrote legislation to benefit [local governments](/source/Local_government_in_the_United_States) by apportionment of [riverboat](/source/Riverboat) taxes. And he penned a bill to give health insurance to legislators whose tenures preceded term limits. The bill passed, but was vetoed by Democratic Governor [Kathleen Babineaux Blanco](/source/Kathleen_Babineaux_Blanco).[2]

He was a veteran member of the House Appropriations Committee, elected by the [Fourth Congressional District's](/source/Louisiana's_4th_congressional_district) legislative delegation to serve as its representative.

Colleague and close friend, Representative [Billy Montgomery](/source/Billy_Montgomery), a Democrat-turned-Republican from [Haughton](/source/Haughton,_Louisiana) in Bossier Parish, told the *Shreveport Times* that Hopkins was a "team player" who "led because people liked him so much." Montgomery said that ethics laws were unnecessary for legislators like Hopkins. Then House Speaker [Joe Salter](/source/Joe_Salter), a Democrat from [Florien](/source/Florien,_Louisiana) in [Sabine Parish](/source/Sabine_Parish,_Louisiana), said that Hopkins could not be pressured to support or oppose legislation.

## Personal life

Hopkins was born in the village of [Murchison](/source/Murchison,_Texas) in [Henderson County](/source/Henderson_County,_Texas), [Texas](/source/Texas). He was a veteran of the [United States Army](/source/United_States_Army), having been stationed in [Germany](/source/Germany) during the [Cold War](/source/Cold_War). In 1966, Hopkins moved his family to Oil City, Louisiana, and made his living there as an [automobile dealer](/source/Automobile_dealer).[3]

Hopkins liked to hunt and golf, and belonged to the Monterey Country Club in [Vivian, Louisiana](/source/Vivian,_Louisiana). When the legislature was in session, Hopkins and a group of other House members liked to play [nine holes](/source/Golf_course#Executive) of golf before morning committee meetings.[2]

## Death

Hopkins died on November 23, 2006, from [bone cancer](/source/Bone_cancer).[2] Services were held five days later at the United [Pentecostal Church](/source/Pentecostalism) of Oil City. Governor Blanco attended the burial in Lakeview Memorial Gardens and met privately afterward with Hopkins' widow, the former Rosemarie "Rose" Duddeck. Hopkins was also survived by sons Todd and Garry.[3]

Hopkins was honored two months before his death by the naming of "Roy 'Hoppy' Hopkins Drive", the entrance to the Caddo Parish Ward II Industrial Park near Vivian.[citation needed]

In a [special election](/source/By-election) held on February 24, 2007, to choose Hopkins' successor, Republican [Jim Morris](/source/Jim_Morris_(Louisiana_politician)), a Caddo Parish commissioner, received 69 percent of the vote.[6] Morris then won a full term in the [nonpartisan blanket primary](/source/Nonpartisan_blanket_primary) held on October 20, 2007.[7]

## References

1. ["Proclamation"](https://house.louisiana.gov/H_Misc/proclamations/PROCLM_dist%201_2006.pdf) (PDF). *house.louisiana.gov*. Louisiana House of Representatives. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170126080628/https://house.louisiana.gov/H_Misc/proclamations/PROCLM_dist%201_2006.pdf) January 26, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 20, 2025.

1. Turner, Dan (November 24, 2006). ["State Rep. Roy "Hoppy" Hopkins dies"](https://web.archive.org/web/20061127093746/https://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061124/NEWS01/611240314). *[The Shreveport Times](/source/The_Shreveport_Times)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061124/NEWS01/611240314) on November 27, 2006.

1. ["Roy M. "Hoppy" Hopkins"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-obituary-roy-m-hoppy-hopki/168361390/). *The Shreveport Times*. November 26, 2006. p. 24. Retrieved March 19, 2025. – via Newspapers.com.

1. McCauley, Charles (October 29, 1979). ["Three Caddo jurors lose election bids"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-three-caddo-jurors-lose-electi/168447345/). *The Shreveport Times*. p. 18. Retrieved March 20, 2025. – via Newspapers.com.

1. Walsh, Mark (October 29, 1979). ["Caddo Commission re-elects president"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-caddo-commission-re-elects-pre/168448707/). *The Shreveport Times*. p. 18. Retrieved March 20, 2025. – via Newspapers.com.

1. Mahfoufi, Michelle (February 25, 2007). ["Jim Morris wins District 1 seat"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-jim-morris-wins-district-1-sea/168457458/). *The Shreveport Times*. p. 1. Retrieved March 20, 2025. – via Newspapers.com.

1. Causey, Adam Kealoha (October 21, 2007). ["Morris reclaims House District 1"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-morris-reclaims-house-district/168458012/). *The Shreveport Times*. p. 4. Retrieved March 20, 2025. – via Newspapers.com.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Roy M. Hopkins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_M._Hopkins) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_M._Hopkins?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.