Stephen Anthony Hopkins

Stephen Anthony Hopkins of Dublin Ireland and Long island City, New York passed away on Saturday, January 21, 2017.

The eldest of five children, he had two brothers Jeff and Robert and two sisters, Barbara and Jane. He was the eldest and first child in every way; very much the head, and the heart ,of the family. He will be sorely missed.

As a child he attended Belgrove National School and later went on to St. Pauls College. After school, he attended DIT, Cathal Brugha Street where he completed his degree in Hotel Management.

Throughout his schooling he swam and played water polo for the North Dublin swimming club, competing and winning a number of medals.

In 1994 he moved to New York and in 1997, started working in Smith & Wollensky's. Here he found his place in the city and developed many truly great, and longstanding, friendships.

Over time he developed a love for the NFL and of baseball, where he was passionate in his dislike for the Yankees. He also loved the Dublin Gaelic football team back home and Manchester City soccer team.

He loved all types of music, from jazz, deep House, techno to 80's Manchester music and everything in between.

He loved the gym and the discipline it instilled in him. He had his own style and wore big, heavy jewellery and big heavy clothes. Driven by the need to create, he began studying jewellery manufacture at F.I.T. in Manhattan.

He had a lot of friends , many who are here now and some who are not. He loved everyone equally; the people he met every day at home in Long Island City, to the traders, bankers and movie stars he met through his work.

He loved New York and New York loved him, for that his family back home are truly thankful to you all. For all the love and experiences you gave him while he was here on the other side of the pond.

He never toned down his affection for his family (or his Dublin accent) and never stopped saying he loved each and every one of them. He would meet everyone with outstretched arms extended for one of his big hugs. He was a people's man, with a big personality but no delusions of grandeur.

Anyone that met him would remember him. He loved his family. He loved his friends. He loved New York and he loved Dublin. He loved life.

He had a strong faith in the Catholic Church and attended mass regularly.

He is survived by his mother, Jean; two brothers, Jeff and Robert; two sisters, Barbara and Jane; two nephews, Stephen and Frederick, four nieces, Ella, Susanna, Grace and Lauren, and extended family Conor, Peter, Anna, Alessia, his aunts, uncles and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his father, Anthony (Tony) Hopkins.