Once again feeling her old self, she got off her horse, smiled and winked. She knew this wasn't the old ranch at Dell City. She knew exactly where she was. This was home.
Sara Lou Hopkins went home to Heaven on March 28, 2015. Born on April 10, 1940, she was raised on this ranch, and although she eventually settled into ranching east of Las Cruces, her heart never quite left the Wind Mountain bunch.
Sara attended schools in Las Cruces, and graduated from NMSU, where she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and the rodeo team. She then taught physical education for several years, before leaving that profession to return to raising kids and cows with Dale Hopkins, her husband and partner for 53 years. Together they had three children, and a grandchild, later to be joined by McKenzie, Kendra, and Josh.
Sara was survived by a sister, husband, daughter, son, grandkids, nieces/nephews, cousins and friends from every corner.
She is presently reuniting with her parents, A.B. and Florence Cox; sister, Bonnie Ligon; her daughter, Danna Leigh, and others too numerous to name.
Although a rancher and cowgirl to her core - Sara was an outstanding member of the NMSU rodeo team, known for her barrel racing and horsemanship - she was also an artist, whose paintings of the Organ Mountains and working cowboys won her many fans. But perhaps her greatest gift was her teaching. She taught those lucky enough to be around her about wielding a pencil, a brush, a pair of reins, a rope, pliers, baling wire, and duct tape. While instilling confidence, she taught kids to think fast, improvise, laugh, and to be kind. Take care of the land and the animals on it - and leave a gate like you found it. While these lessons will endure, the teacher will be missed.
Sara's sendoff was held at the Caballo Community Church in Caballo, New Mexico, with burial following later at Masonic Cemetery in Las Cruces.
Pallbearers were Twister Smith, Brett Smith, Hank Hopkins, Mark Ligon, Bo Turner, and Emmy Harvey.
Published in Las Cruces Sun-News on Mar. 31, 2015.
Sara Lou Hopkins went home to Heaven on March 28, 2015. Born on April 10, 1940, she was raised on this ranch, and although she eventually settled into ranching east of Las Cruces, her heart never quite left the Wind Mountain bunch.
Sara attended schools in Las Cruces, and graduated from NMSU, where she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and the rodeo team. She then taught physical education for several years, before leaving that profession to return to raising kids and cows with Dale Hopkins, her husband and partner for 53 years. Together they had three children, and a grandchild, later to be joined by McKenzie, Kendra, and Josh.
Sara was survived by a sister, husband, daughter, son, grandkids, nieces/nephews, cousins and friends from every corner.
She is presently reuniting with her parents, A.B. and Florence Cox; sister, Bonnie Ligon; her daughter, Danna Leigh, and others too numerous to name.
Although a rancher and cowgirl to her core - Sara was an outstanding member of the NMSU rodeo team, known for her barrel racing and horsemanship - she was also an artist, whose paintings of the Organ Mountains and working cowboys won her many fans. But perhaps her greatest gift was her teaching. She taught those lucky enough to be around her about wielding a pencil, a brush, a pair of reins, a rope, pliers, baling wire, and duct tape. While instilling confidence, she taught kids to think fast, improvise, laugh, and to be kind. Take care of the land and the animals on it - and leave a gate like you found it. While these lessons will endure, the teacher will be missed.
Sara's sendoff was held at the Caballo Community Church in Caballo, New Mexico, with burial following later at Masonic Cemetery in Las Cruces.
Pallbearers were Twister Smith, Brett Smith, Hank Hopkins, Mark Ligon, Bo Turner, and Emmy Harvey.
Published in Las Cruces Sun-News on Mar. 31, 2015.
Once again feeling her old self, she got off her horse, smiled and winked. She knew this wasn't the old ranch at Dell City. She knew exactly where she was. This was home.
Sara Lou Hopkins went home to Heaven on March 28, 2015. Born on April 10, 1940, she was raised on this ranch, and although she eventually settled into ranching east of Las Cruces, her heart never quite left the Wind Mountain bunch.
Sara attended schools in Las Cruces, and graduated from NMSU, where she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and the rodeo team. She then taught physical education for several years, before leaving that profession to return to raising kids and cows with Dale Hopkins, her husband and partner for 53 years. Together they had three children, and a grandchild, later to be joined by McKenzie, Kendra, and Josh.
Sara was survived by a sister, husband, daughter, son, grandkids, nieces/nephews, cousins and friends from every corner.
She is presently reuniting with her parents, A.B. and Florence Cox; sister, Bonnie Ligon; her daughter, Danna Leigh, and others too numerous to name.
Although a rancher and cowgirl to her core - Sara was an outstanding member of the NMSU rodeo team, known for her barrel racing and horsemanship - she was also an artist, whose paintings of the Organ Mountains and working cowboys won her many fans. But perhaps her greatest gift was her teaching. She taught those lucky enough to be around her about wielding a pencil, a brush, a pair of reins, a rope, pliers, baling wire, and duct tape. While instilling confidence, she taught kids to think fast, improvise, laugh, and to be kind. Take care of the land and the animals on it - and leave a gate like you found it. While these lessons will endure, the teacher will be missed.
Sara's sendoff was held at the Caballo Community Church in Caballo, New Mexico, with burial following later at Masonic Cemetery in Las Cruces.
Pallbearers were Twister Smith, Brett Smith, Hank Hopkins, Mark Ligon, Bo Turner, and Emmy Harvey.
Published in Las Cruces Sun-News on Mar. 31, 2015.
Sara Lou Hopkins went home to Heaven on March 28, 2015. Born on April 10, 1940, she was raised on this ranch, and although she eventually settled into ranching east of Las Cruces, her heart never quite left the Wind Mountain bunch.
Sara attended schools in Las Cruces, and graduated from NMSU, where she was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and the rodeo team. She then taught physical education for several years, before leaving that profession to return to raising kids and cows with Dale Hopkins, her husband and partner for 53 years. Together they had three children, and a grandchild, later to be joined by McKenzie, Kendra, and Josh.
Sara was survived by a sister, husband, daughter, son, grandkids, nieces/nephews, cousins and friends from every corner.
She is presently reuniting with her parents, A.B. and Florence Cox; sister, Bonnie Ligon; her daughter, Danna Leigh, and others too numerous to name.
Although a rancher and cowgirl to her core - Sara was an outstanding member of the NMSU rodeo team, known for her barrel racing and horsemanship - she was also an artist, whose paintings of the Organ Mountains and working cowboys won her many fans. But perhaps her greatest gift was her teaching. She taught those lucky enough to be around her about wielding a pencil, a brush, a pair of reins, a rope, pliers, baling wire, and duct tape. While instilling confidence, she taught kids to think fast, improvise, laugh, and to be kind. Take care of the land and the animals on it - and leave a gate like you found it. While these lessons will endure, the teacher will be missed.
Sara's sendoff was held at the Caballo Community Church in Caballo, New Mexico, with burial following later at Masonic Cemetery in Las Cruces.
Pallbearers were Twister Smith, Brett Smith, Hank Hopkins, Mark Ligon, Bo Turner, and Emmy Harvey.
Published in Las Cruces Sun-News on Mar. 31, 2015.
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