Gayle Rae Hopkins, a former longtime Hoquiamite, unexpectedly died on Sunday, July 23, 2017, at her Tumwater home. She was born on June 6, 1949, in Aberdeen to Donald William and Barbara Louise (Dunn) Hutchings.

She was raised and attended school in Hoquiam and graduated from Hoquiam High School in 1967. She was active in BC and Rainbow Clubs and had been selected as Class Sweetheart.

Following her graduation she had resided in Chicago, where she attended Weaver Airline School. She later resided in Los Angeles and Cake Island, Alaska.

Gayle was the floor manager at Smith’s Harbor Drug in Hoquiam for over 30 years. She also owned and operated her own day care center in Aberdeen in the 1980’s and she was also a director of daycare at the Hoquiam YMCA.

She volunteered at Saint Mary School in Aberdeen, helped with their Bingo and Octoberfest as well as Feed The Hungry. She helped out at the Elma Speedway in the ticket collection. She enjoyed playing Bunko.

Her travels had taken her to Palm Springs, Disneyland, Washington D.C., Hawaii, an Alaskan cruise and had taken frequent trips to Bellingham to visit her brother.

She enjoyed crafting, gardening, her grandkids, personalizing her gifts, sewing, knitting and crocheting.

Gayle is survived by her husband, Dennis Ray Hopkins whom she married on June 30, 2002, at the Cosmopolis Lions Club. Her other family members include her son, Jeff Wagner (Evelyn) of Aberdeen; daughters, Stephanie Volkert (John) of Aberdeen and Johnel Bradley (Jon) of Aberdeen, her step-sons, Mark Hopkins (Teri) of Tumwater and Eric Hopkins (Alicia) of Honolulu, Hawaii; a brother, Glenn Hutchings of Bellingham, 14 grandchildren and numerous other relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the Grays Harbor YMCA, 2500 Simpson Avenue, Hoquiam, WA 98550.

Visitation will be at the Coleman Mortuary on Thursday, July 27, 2017, and Friday, July 28, 2017, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday, July 29, 2017, from 10 a.m. until 12:00 noon.

A memorial service will be on Saturday, July 29, 2017, at 1:30 p.m., at the Coleman Mortuary Chapel in Hoquiam with Rev. Sean Hollen officiating.

A celebration of Gayle’s life with a potluck will be on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017, at 5 p.m., at the Cosmopolis Lions Club.

Arrangements are by the Coleman Mortuary, 422 – 5th Street in Hoquiam.

Please take a few moments to record your thoughts for the family by signing the on-line register at www.colemanmortuary.net.