Obituary: Hopwood, Don Morton “Doc”
Age 71
Memorial services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, August 6, 2013 in the Performing Arts Auditorium of the Toepke Center at the Dawson Community College in Glendive with Jim Squires officiating.
Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home of Glendive has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Don was born on October 1, 1941 in Billings, Montana the son of Wilfred and Phyllis (Wright) Hopwood.
At the age of ten years old, Don knew that he wanted to be a Doctor, something he took seriously throughout the rest of his life.
He was raised and educated in the Lockwood Area where he received his early education before attending Billings Senior High School graduating with the class of 1959.
He also attended the University of Washington where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry in 1963 and a Doctor of Medicine in 1967.
Don married Jan (Johnson) and to this union three children were born.
Following his graduation from college, Don entered the United States Navy in the Public Health Division where he served as a Family Practitioner with the rank of Lt.
Commander.
During this time he worked in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area for two years also in the Seattle, Washington area for two years.
He was honorably discharged from military service on June 30, 1970.
Following his discharge from military service, Don moved to Deer Park, Washington and started an HMO in Spokane which became the current Group Health for the state of Washington.
In 1989, Don moved to Phoenix, Arizona where he had a private practice for ten years while also serving as an emergency Physician on the Arizona/Mexico Border.
In 2004, Don returned to Montana where he was a Hospital Physician for Rosebud Health Care Center in Forsyth, Montana.
He moved to Glendive in 2007 where he continued working with medicine until later in 2012 when health issues forced him to retire from something he took great pride in.
Don married Mona Dale (Anderson) Humphrey on September 26, 2009 in Glendive, Montana where they had made their home since.
Don enjoyed fishing, hunting, golfing, skiing and horseracing; he was a licensed thoroughbred race horse owner in Washington and California.
Don’s enthusiasm for horse racing continued until the time of his passing.
He enjoyed a good wine and was a certified Sommelier.
Don was a wonderful story teller and joke teller.
He enjoyed visiting with anyone present and his caring personality always showed through.
Don was known for making house calls to his patients in Glendive who were in hospice care.
Survivors include his wife, Mona of Glendive; three children, Wilfred Alexander (Amy) Hopwood of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, Amy Niccola Hopwood of Spokane, Washington and Don M. Hopwood Jr. of Seattle; two step-children, Brian Humphrey of Seattle and Brandy Humphrey of Norfolk, Virginia; two grandchildren, Stephen and Simon Hopwood; special niece, Brooklynn Sacherer; two sisters, Judy (Earl) Hawkins and Jeanne (Dan) Garrison both of Spokane, Washington and numerous nieces and nephews.
Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at: www.silvernale-silhafuneralhome.com.