Peter Tuckwell has advised of the passing of yet another of our fraternity that has been taken from us at the relatively early age of 62.
Sadly, Kim passed away last night by his bed. Peter was contacted by Mark Hopkins, Kim’s brother. Kim had been living on his brother’s farm at Candelo on the south coast of NSW for the past few years. Kim had diabetes and his brother thinks this may have been a contributing factor.
The Funeral Service will probably be held in Sydney but the details are not yet known. Once Mark provides the details they will be communicated to you all.
10 Comments
I have created a Google Shared Photo folder so we can collect lots of photos of Kim for his family to choose from..
The link is:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xMKHnDcj0QjCkcgA3
Please upload your photos and label if possible. Let me know any issues..
Regards
Peter Tuckwell
It is sad to hear that Kim Hopkins has died.
I knew him quite well in the early 80’s and did some great cross country ski trips with him and other OTC guys Tony Styan and Peter Tuckwell.
He started with OTC the year after me I think, so would have been in the 1973 group.
I lost track of him after I moved to Melbourne and Scoresby, but I remember sending the guys some of these photos about ten years ago.
Regards
Shaune Walsh
Shaune sent some photos that have uploaded to the web site established by Peter Tuckwell or photos of Kim
So sorry to hear about Kim. – he used to go running at Lunch times in the mid 1980’s. He moved into Marketing at some stage and I believe he was very involved wit Men’s Sheds after OTC. Way too young!
Peter Allan
Sadly, Kim passed away on Monday night by his bed. Kim had not been well with his diabetes and blood pressure and was recovering from a recent bout of the ‘flu’.
He was only 62 years young. Kim had been living on his brother’s (Mark) and sister-in-law’s (Roxanne) farm at Candelo on the south coast for the past few years and was becoming known as “Farmer Kim”.
Kim was a trainee technician joining Overseas Telecommunciations – OTC as it was commonly known back then, on the 14th of February 1973.
Together with a couple of friends he travelled for 8 months through Asia and Europe in 1977 and earlier this year attended their 40th re-union to celebrate the milestone.
Kim was widely known to many Men’s Sheds on the Central Coast. I first got to know him at the 2006 AMSA (Australian Men’s Sheds Association) Conference in Manly where I remember him winning a large Dolls House at the Conference Dinner which he had no way of fitting into his car. Kim was a key person in assisting with the development of the San Remo Men’s Shed and then as the shed coordinator in the development of The Entrance Men’s Shed. He was appointed as coordinator of the Men’s Shed Central Coast Inc. which in it’s early days drew sheds from across the Coast together for regular meetings which created a spirit of collegiality. He was the man sheds first approached for support and many will reflect on the support he provided them as they developed.
Kim moved to work in Community Centres in the Wyong Shire and his interests in men’s sheds continued which saw him working to form a shed in the House With No Steps at the Tuggerah Business Park and the with Wyong Community Centre where a shed was being constructed.
Kim’s legacy will live on as long as there are Men’s Sheds on the Central Coast and he will be missed.
Rest in Peace Kim
Regards
John Sharples
There was a lovely tribute to Kim on Central Coast ABC Breakfast with Scott Levi this morning for Kim’s work with Men’s Sheds and other community groups on the Central Coast.
The podcast can be found at: http://www.abc.net.au/radio/centralcoast/programs/breakfast/breakfast/9082800
Listen from 1:06:50 to 1:17:35.
Peter Tuckwell
There have been several updates to the photos on this site from various people.
I just added a few more from our 1977 adventures in Asia and Europe as well.
Peter Tuckwell
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xMKHnDcj0QjCkcgA3
Reminder:
The funeral service for Kim will be held at 1:15pm Monday the 6th at the North Chapel of the Northern Suburbs Crematorium.
199 Delhi Road, North Ryde NSW 211
https://www.northernsuburbscrem.com.au
What an amazing collections of photos! A life’s journey can touch many people. RIP old mate.
Chris Bull
Hi Chris.
Yes it does tell an amazing life story.
He contributed to the lives of so many others included all the work he did on the central coast and beyond in recent years in setting up and connecting 16 mens sheds & family sheds. He also organised mens health forums on the coast including indigenous peoples, kids days out etc.
This story was told in the eulogy by John Roberts from the coast yesterday.
The service was very special.
Peter Tuckwell.
Dear all – a special thanks should go to Tucky, Tony and Bruce – they not only represented the OTC contingent with pride, but demonstrated the spirit we have all grown to know and recognise – it is a spirit of caring and friendship. So Tucky, Tony and Bruce – thank you for all you have done for Kim and his family and for all of us – and my thoughts are with you as you certainly have lost a very close and valued friend – we are all sad, but you guys have taken a hit to the heart and my thoughts and prayers are with you.
See you soon I hope!
Paul McCann
Thanks Paul,
It was our pleasure to represent the gang..
The service was a wonderful send off for Kim.
After you left yesterday, we 10 to 12 OTC types discussed the need to have another OTC reunion of the ’73 starters.
Next year is our 45th and we should probably not wait for the 50th….
It would be nice to have our partners along and I would like to invite the women in Kim’s life to get to know his ‘old’ work mates from a time long, long ago.
Peter Tuckwell