Hilda (Devoe) Hopton

Hilda Hopton

Toronto/Little Bras d’Or

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Hilda Hopton, on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at the age of 98, after a brief illness at Scarborough General Hospital in Toronto, with her son Ray by her side.

Hilda was born in Little Bras d'Or, Cape Breton, on August 6th, 1925, the eldest child of the late Harold and Charlotte (Jalotta) Devoe. Family was important to her. She cherished memories of her childhood in Cape Breton, visiting the mine with her father, his love of reading, all the many visitors to their home, and how hard her Mama worked and cooked for their large family. Even recently she loved telling long-ago stories about her many aunts, uncles, and siblings - and how life was 'back then' for all of them. She kept in touch with as many of her family as she could, and dearly missed those who had passed away before her, or who just lived too far away to visit in later years.

She married Danny Hopton in Halifax in 1947. They made a home in Toronto, and loved to throw parties, grow tomatoes, make homemade wine, and head out on road trips with their camper van. They travelled widely, especially to Cape Breton to visit family. Alaska and New Zealand were two of Hilda's favourite vacation highlights. She was modestly proud of her wartime work building airplane circuit boards, and went on to become a supervisor on the assembly line at Collins in Toronto. She was frugal and kept careful track of the price of things. Even so, she loved fancy dresses, jewellery, sparkly high heels and dancing.

Hilda will be deeply missed by her son, Ray Hopton (Myrna Fernandez), grandchildren Sean and Alice Hopton (Doug Mander), great-grandsons, Oliver and Samuel Mander, as well as her entire extended family. She is survived by her brothers Frank, Ambrose, Melvin, and Lloyd Devoe, and sister Phyllis Dupuis. She is predeceased by her beloved husband Danny (October 7, 2003), sister Irma, brothers Gerald, Harold and grandson, Scott Hopton. Special thanks to niece Gloria Musgrave, as well as to brother Lloyd Devoe, his wife Diane, and their family, for their many visits in Hilda's later years. Her appreciation for all her family connections, whether by phone or in person, was immense.

A funeral mass will be held in her honour on Saturday June 8th at 1:30 pm at St. Joseph's Church, 169 Church Street, Little Bras d'Or, Cape Breton with Rev. Chinonso Alaribe officiating. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Parish Cemetery.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by leaving a message on the tribute wall of the obituary at www.wjdooley.com.

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