Gregory W. Hopkins was born on October 20, 1961. He died at his home, surrounded by his family, on January 17, 2024. We can tell you part of what happened in the sixty-two years he was here. We can list some of the things he did. But there is no way we can tell you who he was or how he touched our lives.

Greg’s family was his first passion. His parents, Terry and Margaret Hopkins, were at his side both when he entered the world and when he left. On each day in between, the three loved, comforted, and cheered each other without reserve. His siblings, Eric, Matt, and Nicki, adored and pestered him from their births to his death. His nieces and nephews, Heather, Clint, Maile, Bryan, Emma, Harper, Jackson, Abby, Tatum, and Maggie, loved their “Uncle Greggy”, and each followed him to the theatre stage. The latest generation of his clan, Bella, Ayden, Wyatt, Ayreston, Isaac, and Millie, along with those yet to come, will know Greg best through the traits he inspired in their parents.

Even surrounded by a loving multitude of Hopkins people and a rich collection of friends, Greg’s life included a gaping hole until he fell in love with Timothy Stewart. The two met on the stage, and, on October 17, 2011, married in the first state that acknowledged their right to join together. And join they did. Through wonderful and hard times, Greg and Timothy stood together to live a beautiful, warm, and imperfect life with grace, love, and pride. They knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and loved without blinders. Through Timothy, Greg’s family grew to include another mother, Bernetta, a sister, Kim, and her children, Amanda and Carson.

The theatre was Greg’s second passion. He was an award-winning actor, director, and designer. After receiving his MFA in Acting from USC, Greg worked as a stage, television, and film actor, appearing in over 100 productions for the Disney Channel, BBC, Nickelodeon, Glendale Centre Theatre, and many others. He was a pioneer in animation technology, developing characters for early digital cartoons, including “Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future”, “Butt Ugly Martians”, and “Jakers! The Adventures of Piggly Winks”. He also acted in many video games, creating 56 characters for the X-box game, “Bruce Lee; Quest for the Dragon”. Greg received the Jack Nicholson Acting Award, the James A. Doolittle Award, and was nominated for the NAACP Theatre Award. He was a member of Actors’ Equity Association, and SAG-AFTRA.

But Greg’s main professional mark was as a theatre producer and director. During his time in Los Angeles, Greg was Managing Director of West Coast Ensemble, overseeing the production and conservatory departments. There, he produced the world premiere of “Portrait of a Nude,” as well as the west coast premieres of such critically acclaimed shows as “Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery,” and “Playboy of the West Indies,” for which he received the Drama-Logue Award for production. On his return to Oklahoma, Greg directed and designed dozens of theatre productions, and worked with hundreds of actors to develop the best performances they could deliver.

Those are the facts that we have the energy to remember and the space to share. They do not tell you who Greg was. They reveal only a shadow of what he did here. We can tell you that, to his core, Greg Hopkins was gentle and kind. He remains with us and in us, and we will hold him there.

A memorial celebration of Greg’s life will be held at Shawnee Little Theatre on February 4, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to SPAR or Shawnee Little Theatre. Or, better yet, just do something kind for someone else.

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