Hoppy Hopkins

Ida Jean “Hoppy” Hopkins, age 87.

Passed away on January 10, 2025.

Dearly beloved friend of Marlene Sutowski for 52 years; loving sister of Julayne Hutfilz of Hemlock, Michigan; dear aunt and great aunt of many.

Known to most of her friends as “Hoppy”, she was active in various sports throughout her life. She was National Marbles Champion when she was only 10 years old and a very accomplished softball player later in life.  A ten-time All-American pick at ASA National Slow Pitch Tournaments, Ida Jean Hopkins was chosen as the tournament’s most valuable player in 1967, 1968, and 1970, when she was the tourney’s leading hitter with a .704 average. She played fastpitch softball for ten years before switching to slow pitch in 1960. Ida began managing slow pitch teams in 1964 and coached her teams to eleven Regional ASA Tournament wins in 12 years and the national tournament in 1967. 

Hoppy was inducted into the National Slow Pitch Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City in 1983.  Later she was also inducted into the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame and the Slow Pitch Hall of Fame.  Hoppy participated in the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan in the Luge. 

Hoppy coached a CYO basketball team at St. Thomas More in Brooklyn, Ohio and a Women’s Basketball Team at Holy Name High School in Parma Hts., Ohio.  She also coached at Cleveland State University and Tri-C College in Cleveland, Ohio. In her spare time, Hoppy enjoyed golf and spending time with family and friends.  Hoppy retired from the Cleveland Metroparks after a long career in Park Operations.

Hoppy was Director of Women’s and Girls sports for the City of Cleveland and supervised several of city’s recreation centers before joining the Cleveland Metroparks.

A Mass in Hoppy’s memory will take place at St. John Cantius Church, 906 College Avenue, Cleveland OH 44113 on Friday, February 7, 2025 at 10 a.m.

Contributions in Hoppy’s memory can be made to St. John Cantius Church Capital Fund, 906 College Avenue, Cleveland OH 44113.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Hoppy Hopkins, please visit our floral store.