Mary Louise "Mamie" Kull Hopkins, 91, died on Feb. 15, 2020, after a brief illness following a stroke. She was at home, surrounded by family.

Mary Louise was born on Friday, the 13 ^th of July 1928, in Lafayette, Ind., to Eva D. Higman and August H. Kull. In 1942, she graduated and was confirmed at St. James Lutheran School and Church. She graduated from Lafayette Jefferson High School in 1946. She graduated from Purdue in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics. She earned a Master's Degree from Butler University.

In 1951, she married the love of her life, Frederick M. Hopkins III. Their love for each other did not fade through time or trials over 48 years of marriage and her 21 years as a widow.

She taught in Benton County; in Fairborn, Ohio; and in Brownsburg, Indiana. Almost every student in the Brownsburg schools for more than two decades had Mary Louise, who taught Geography, Home Economics and History.

With a group of seven friends, Mary Louise founded the Sigma Kappa sorority on the Purdue campus in 1948. She was recognized in November 2018 at the chapter's 70 ^th anniversary celebration, the only founder in attendance.

She was a proud member of the Greatest Generation. She grew up on a dairy farm with an outhouse and no indoor plumbing until age 7 and like her dairy farmer father, worked hard to achieve the success she attained. She and Fred were featured in a book about the Purdue Class of 1950 and were contributors to the Purdue Class of 1950 lecture hall. She helped to start two Lutheran congregations – University Lutheran at Purdue University and Messiah Lutheran in Brownsburg, where she played piano and organ for more than 25 years, served as Worship and Music Chairman for many decades, served on Council and various other committees, and was the unofficial greeter in the years since the church's founding in 1964. She also started the very active OWLs (Older Wiser Lutherans) at Messiah.

She married Frederick M. Hopkins on July 7, 1951. He predeceased her on Feb. 7, 1999.

Mary Louise and Fred had three devoted children and spouses, who survive: Marcia Hopkins (Joseph) Schelling, Frederick Mercer (Sandy) Hopkins IV; and Ellen Hopkins (Doug) Scott.

Mary Louise cherished her seven grandchildren, their spouses and their 12 great-grandchildren: Kimberly Schelling (Colin) McCahill and children Molly, Ryan and Ben; Jennifer Schelling (Clint) Casper and daughters Cadence and Kendall; Crystal Schelling (Nick) Keigley and children Nathaniel, Isabella and baby girl on the way; and Ashley Schelling (Phil) Kolliopoulos and sons Kolten and Konner; Andrew (Katie) Scott and daughter Eze Louise; AJ (Morgan) Hopkins and daughters Faith and Khloe; and Josh (Kelsey) Scott.

She also is survived by nieces Betsy (Roman) Liley and Becky Liley (Bernd) Wagner and their sons Peter and Theodor; and nieces and nephews Dr. Thomas (Linda) Jernigan; Lynn Marsh Jernigan (Brad) Perry, Ann Jernigan Morris and Beth Bright Jernigan (Gary) Zermuehlen; and an extended family of Higmans, Hopkins and Kulls.

Mary Louise was predeceased by her parents; her siblings and their spouses, Robert (Lillian) Kull, Harold (Clois) Kull and Elaine Kull (Peter) Liley. She also was predeceased by Fred's parents Henrietta and Frederick M. Hopkins Jr; and her sister- and brother-in-law Henrietta Hopkins and Rupert W. Jernigan Jr.

The family wishes to thank caregivers Sonia Roach, Kathy Kinney Cooper, Diane Whaley and the staff at Park Square Manor in Avon.

The viewing will be from 4-7pm Thursday Feb. 20 at Matthews Mortuary, Brownsburg, with funeral services at 11am Friday Feb. 21 at Messiah Lutheran Church in Brownsburg, Indiana. Burial will in the Brownsburg Cemetery on East 56 ^th St.

Memorial contributions can be made to Messiah Lutheran Church, 801 S. Green St. Brownsburg, IN 46112 or Purdue University Center for Cancer Research.