Obituary for Oletta Hopkins
Oletta Hopkins passed away at the age of 96, in Kimberly, Idaho, on April 11, 2022, at Alpine Manor.
Oletta was born September 9, 1925 in West Plains, Missouri, to Oscar and Celia (Campbell) Hopkins. She graduated from high school in Dora, Missouri.
At 18 years of age she married Dale Eldon Cole on February 12, 1944, at Sturkie, Arkansas. Oletta and Dale farmed in the Pottersville, Missouri area for several years. In 1949 they moved to Idaho, where they purchased a ranch on Silver Creek near Picabo. After they sold the ranch they owned and operated several small businesses in the Southern Idaho area; a café in Hagerman, a grocery store/gas station in Wendell, a farm in Declo, and another grocery store/gas station in Minidoka. Later Oletta and Dale divorced, but remained good friends until Dale passed away in 2008.
Oletta worked for the Tupperware Corporation at the factory in Jerome until she retired in 1986. She started bowling with a team while working at Tupperware, and continued that hobby up until 2020 when Covid caused the bowling alley to close. For years she spent her winters in Missouri to care for her ageing parents and came back to Idaho for the summer.
Oletta was a wonderful mother and grandmother. She loved all animals, but especially cats. She was very talented. She painted beautiful pictures with chalk pastels, oil paints, and acrylics. She did gorgeous needle work; quilting, knitting, crocheting. Her paintings and her needlework won many prizes at the Twin Falls County Fair over the years. She also loved to fish, fish, fish, and kept her family supplied for years with trout for fish-fry’s. She was always able to out-fish anyone who went with her. Her favorite spot was Hagerman ponds.
Oletta is survived by her sister Judy Perkins of West Plains, Missouri; 2 children, Rita Jan (Greg) Newberry, of Hansen; Martin Cole (Jenger), Oregon; granddaughter Heather (Aric) Duffy, and great grandson Dylan Duffy of Filer; Samantha (Cruz) Nava, great grandson Logan Nava, and great granddaughters Elyka and Adalyn Nava of Burdett, Kansas, and numerous nieces and nephews and their children.
Oletta was preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Celia Hopkins, her ex-husband Dale, her sisters Juanita and Geneva; her son Myles, her grandson Eric, and her dear fishing companion Vern.
Graveside services for friends and family will be held at Sunset Memorial Park in Twin Falls on Monday, April 18th, at 10:00 am.
Oletta was born September 9, 1925 in West Plains, Missouri, to Oscar and Celia (Campbell) Hopkins. She graduated from high school in Dora, Missouri.
At 18 years of age she married Dale Eldon Cole on February 12, 1944, at Sturkie, Arkansas. Oletta and Dale farmed in the Pottersville, Missouri area for several years. In 1949 they moved to Idaho, where they purchased a ranch on Silver Creek near Picabo. After they sold the ranch they owned and operated several small businesses in the Southern Idaho area; a café in Hagerman, a grocery store/gas station in Wendell, a farm in Declo, and another grocery store/gas station in Minidoka. Later Oletta and Dale divorced, but remained good friends until Dale passed away in 2008.
Oletta worked for the Tupperware Corporation at the factory in Jerome until she retired in 1986. She started bowling with a team while working at Tupperware, and continued that hobby up until 2020 when Covid caused the bowling alley to close. For years she spent her winters in Missouri to care for her ageing parents and came back to Idaho for the summer.
Oletta was a wonderful mother and grandmother. She loved all animals, but especially cats. She was very talented. She painted beautiful pictures with chalk pastels, oil paints, and acrylics. She did gorgeous needle work; quilting, knitting, crocheting. Her paintings and her needlework won many prizes at the Twin Falls County Fair over the years. She also loved to fish, fish, fish, and kept her family supplied for years with trout for fish-fry’s. She was always able to out-fish anyone who went with her. Her favorite spot was Hagerman ponds.
Oletta is survived by her sister Judy Perkins of West Plains, Missouri; 2 children, Rita Jan (Greg) Newberry, of Hansen; Martin Cole (Jenger), Oregon; granddaughter Heather (Aric) Duffy, and great grandson Dylan Duffy of Filer; Samantha (Cruz) Nava, great grandson Logan Nava, and great granddaughters Elyka and Adalyn Nava of Burdett, Kansas, and numerous nieces and nephews and their children.
Oletta was preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Celia Hopkins, her ex-husband Dale, her sisters Juanita and Geneva; her son Myles, her grandson Eric, and her dear fishing companion Vern.
Graveside services for friends and family will be held at Sunset Memorial Park in Twin Falls on Monday, April 18th, at 10:00 am.