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Robert Hopkins Obituary
Chicopee, MA - Robert J. "Hoppy" Hopkins, 72, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, passed away, January 13, 2026.
Born on March 20, 1953, in Springfield, he was the son of Mathew and Eileen (Brown) Hopkins. He began his career with Amherst Fire Department and went on to devote more than four decades to EMS, education, and public safety as a paramedic, educator, and leader. His training and mentorship left a lasting mark on EMS in Western Massachusetts, including through his work as a paramedic with Holyoke Hospital and professor and program director at Springfield College.
Hoppy held leadership roles with many organizations, including DMAT-MA2, and as Captain with the Hampden County Sheriff's Department and Western Mass EMS.
Beyond his professional life, Hoppy was a loyal friend and a steady presence to those closest to him. He is survived by longtime friend, Brian Mullen, sister, Marion Holden, and beloved dogs Murphy and Dublin.
Calling hours are on Thursday, January 22, 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Cierpial Funeral Home, 69 East Street, Chicopee. Funeral services are Friday, January 23, at 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by a funeral Mass at St. Rose de Lima Church at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Calgary Cemetery Chicopee.
A Gofundme page is setup in his name for donations .
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Robert Hopkins
Cheska Austin
January 23, 2026
May your memory be a blessing. I first met Bob when I moved to the area in 1988 to work in emergency management. He taught me A LOT, a wonderful man and talented educator. Even though I moved away almost 17 years ago, I think of him often and still practice what he preached! Rest in Peace, Hoppy. I will miss you.
Mulugeta Agonafer
January 23, 2026
In Memory of Robert Hopkins: A Life of Compassion, Service, and Quiet Teaching
I am deeply saddened by the passing of Robert Hopkins, and I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, students, and all whose lives he touched.
I knew Robert in several intertwined roles, as a colleague, as a student who once took my course, as a friend, and as a fellow member of the Springfield College community. Yet none of these titles fully capture who he was. In the classroom, Robert was formally a student, but in spirit and substance he was often a teacher, someone whose insight, experience, and moral clarity elevated our shared learning. He engaged ideas not as abstractions, but as living responsibilities, grounded in compassion and practice.
Beyond the classroom, Robert was a colleague of rare integrity and humanity. He devoted his professional life to serving those facing disaster and profound vulnerability, embodying a vocation rooted in solidarity rather than recognition. His work reflected a quiet philosophy of service: that human dignity must be defended not only in theory, but in moments of crisis, fear, and loss. In this, he lived what many only teach.
What I will remember most, however, is his presence, his warmth, his ready smile, and his gentle sense of humor. Even in demanding circumstances, he carried himself with grace, reminding those around him that kindness is not a distraction from serious work, but its very foundation. He made spaces more humane simply by being in them.
Robert´s passing is a profound loss: to his family, who knew him most intimately; to his friends and colleagues, who relied on his wisdom and generosity; to his students, who learned as much from who he was as from what he said; and to the many unseen individuals whose lives were steadied by his service. Yet his legacy endures, in the people he helped, the values he modeled, and the quiet moral example he set for all of us.
May his family find strength in the knowledge that his life mattered deeply, far beyond what can ever be measured. May those who knew and admired him carry forward his spirit of compassion, humility, and joyful service. And may Robert Hopkins rest in peace, remembered not only for what he did, but for the humanity he so consistently revealed.
M. Agonafer
Paul & Andrea
January 22, 2026
Marion we are so sorry to hear of Bob´s passing. May he rest in peace
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Denise Carraher
January 22, 2026
Marion
We were so sad to hear of Bob´s passing. Sending lots of love at this difficult time.
William Sullivan
January 21, 2026
This breaks my heart. I recall with great fondness working for Baystate and Charter in Holyoke and meeting up with Hoppy when he was working Holyoke EMS, our haunt was the Golden China on South St. I have many, many more memories that i will keep close to my heart. He was a very caring and gentle person. Keeping Brian in the thoughts during this difficult time.
Bill Sullivan
Barbara Bak
January 21, 2026
Hoppy I hope you know how many people are better for knowing you. Time to rest old friend
Marc Tremblay
January 21, 2026
Eternal rest grant unto your faithful servant Robert Hopkins O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.
Patty Cabey
January 21, 2026
In loving memory of a wonderful man that will be missed by everyone he ever had contact with, when you met Hoppy you were instantly his friend. RIP my friend.
Jennifer Barcomb
January 21, 2026
Hoppy,you have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember and I will miss hearing you call me niffer! Till we meet again
Stephen Seredynski
January 21, 2026
RIP Hoppy. A superstar in the EMS field.
Lee A Vaughn
January 20, 2026
May your hearts soon be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived.
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