Dan Lee Hopwood, of The Villages, Florida, died December 31, 2020 in Lexington, Kentucky, where he was born 74 years ago. Dan grew up in Kentucky and Virginia. He was a graduate of Maysville (Kentucky) High School and Morehead State University in Kentucky from where he graduated with highest honors. It was at Morehead State that he found a career path to journalism under the guidance of his mentor, W. David Brown. He had a 40-year career as reporter and editor of the Norwalk Reflection, The Western Hills Press, and the late-great Cincinnati Post, all in Ohio. His last assignment before retiring in 2010 was Sports Editor at the Ledger Independent, Maysville, Kentucky.
Dan was preceded in death by his mother, Helen Wilson Post of Maysville and Dan Hopwood, Sr. of Corsicana, Texas. He is survived by his beloved life partner, Cherie Bantz, The Villages, Florida. He was the loving father of daughter Tracy Endo, Sterling, Virginia, and doting grandfather of Joshua Endo and Celeste Endo, Sterling, Virginia. He was the dear brother of Nelson (Linda) Hopwood of Maysville Kentucky and Douglas (Amy) Hopwood of Georgetown, Kentucky. He was the loving uncle of Douglas and James Hopwood and Carole (Andrew) Sapp, and loving Papa Hop to Benjamin Biddle, Cherie’s grandson. He is also survived by his beloved floppy-eared poodle, Bally.
Dan was an avid amateur golfer who had 13 holes-in-one and shot his age multiple times. He played golf every day and probably met most of the golfers in The Villages over the last eight years. He was a life-long coin collector, sports fan (especially Kentucky Wildcats basketball), master Scrabble player, and a serious lover of music, especially Country & Western, R&B and classic Rock & Roll. Dan will long be remembered as a champion trivia player and coach, most notably of Chocolate Thunder in Cincinnati, OH and The Goats, winners of the first Super Bowl of Trivia in The Villages, FL.
Dan will be forever missed by his loved ones, friends and colleagues who were lucky to know him over the years. His smiling eyes, his witty sense of humor, his integrity and his goodness will live on in our memories. To honor his lifelong commitment to justice and truth, memorial donations may be made to the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, Inc. 125 Broad Street 18th Floor; New York, NY 10004.
