Karene H Kilgrow Hopkins

Our angelic mother, Karene H. Kilgrow Hopkins peacefully graduated to Heaven on a beautiful early summer morning, June 5, 2022, at home with her family after fighting a long battle with kidney disease. She was born September 17, 1939, to William John Worth Kilgrow and Neta Elaine Hull in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the youngest of nine children. Her parents were divorced when she was little, and her mother married Orville C Wilson when she was seven. He was the dad she knew and loved.
She lived in the Salt Lake area until 1978 when she moved to Nephi, Utah, and later to southern Utah where she lived at the time of her heavenly graduation.
She attended school in Salt Lake, and with seven children went back to school and earned her diploma on the day of her oldest daughter’s graduation from junior high and 15th birthday.
Karene married John Rolfe McMahon on October 28,1956 when they eloped to Ely, Nevada. They were blessed with seven children. They were later divorced. She met and married Edwin LaRay (Ray) Hopkins on November 18,1974 in Elko, Nevada. They were sealed in the Manti Temple July 27,1979. And later had five of the children sealed to them.
She worked at many jobs through the years. She worked at Keith O’Brien’s in Sugarhouse with her mother-in-law & Sperry Univac in Salt Lake putting circuit boards together. She was a Recreational Therapist Activity Director at the Colonial Manor Care Center in Nephi. She worked at JC Penny’s, St. George Car Wash, and Hopkins’ Automotive in St. George. And lastly, she was a pilot car driver escorting oversize loads until Ray passed away in 2006.
Mom loved to go barefoot, and her mother would always tell her she was an “Oakie”. And she hated shoes right up till the end! She loved to crack jokes. One of her favorites was to order a “diet water” or ask for straws without holes.
Mom loves the Savior and the Gospel. She was faithful in fulfilling her callings and loved being a visiting/ministering sister. She served in many other callings. Her last one being the ward librarian, which she served as for 25 years, thru five different bishops.
She loved owls, angels, listening to the saxophone. She crocheted and loved to make things with plastic canvas, especially covers for the church lesson books. She loved to go to the mountain and sit by the campfire. She’d go fishing with Dad, but would sit, and read or do handiwork while he fished. She loved to go watch her family play softball. And she loved food fights in the kitchen!
She loved to dance, doing the jitterbug and twist. And later, became an avid square dancer.
Mom never wanted to go to college. All she ever wanted was to be a wife and mother. And that was her greatest calling!
She is survived by six of her seven children: John R. McMahon, Jr. (Kathy) of LaVerkin, Laurie Lee of Virgin, Leslie Bundy (Mark) of Mona, Kenward Sr. of LaVerkin, Kari Mendoza Of Las Cruses, NM, and Joe McMahon (Melanie) St. George, three grafted-in children: Rick Hopkins of Kearns, DeeAnna Hopkins of Henderson NV, Connie Atwood of LaVerkin; 54 grandchildren, 138 great-grandchildren plus two more on the way, and three great-greats plus three more on the way. Her only surviving sibling, Raymon Kilgrow (Doris) of South Jordan. And her loving companion for the last 11 years, Malanie, her Shih tzu puppy.
She is preceded in the heavenly graduation by her eternal companion, Edwin LaRay (Ray) Hopkins; her oldest daughter Jaque Ann Pauly & her husband, Bruce; other sons-in-law, Clayton Don (Hoss) Lee, and Roy Mendoza; Grafted-in-daughter- Shonna Hopkins Brown; granddaughter- Tabitha Ann Pauly; Great-grandchildren Draegon Kurt McMahon, Taycen Birch, and Jacob Kyle Hopkins ; her siblings – Bonnie Elaine Hunter, Sherill Hull, Genevieve H, Barbara Wryth, Margie H, Joseph Hull, & William Jack; her parents and her dad.
A visitation will be held on Friday, June 17th from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, LaVerkin West Chapel, 70 S 300 W, LaVerkin, UT
Funeral Services will be held Saturday, June 18, 2022, at 11:00 am at the LaVerkin West LDS Chapel, 70 S 300 West, LaVerkin, Utah 84745, with a visitation before from 9:00-10:30 am. Interment will be at the LaVerkin City Cemetery.
Thank you to our many friends and family, Dr Leon Mercado & Southern Utah Kidney, Dixie Hospice, the LaVerkin 7th and 2nd Ward for all of the love and compassionate service that has been given to our family.
Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S Bluff Street, St. George, Utah. 435-673-2454. Family and friends are invited to sign Karene’s online guest book at  www.spilsburymortuary.com