Mrs. Felicia Abigail Mack Hopkins

Mrs. Felicia Mack Hopkins, 63, of Columbia, South Carolina, entered into eternal rest on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Her life began on the seventeenth day of June 1960 at Columbia Hospital, in Columbia, South Carolina. Felicia was the first child and only daughter of her parents, Mr. Eddie Lee Mack, Sr. and the late Mrs. Ella Dean Boular Mack. She graduated from Eau Claire High School, Class of 1978 and continued her education at North Greenville College (now University) in Tigerville, South Carolina, where Felicia won "Miss Aurora" in 1980. Felicia's mother and maternal grandmother, encouraged her natural musical gifts by nurturing and refining them through formal training. As a result, Felicia began a lifelong church music ministry. Her calling ended with her service as Minister of Music at Chappell Memorial AME Church, Columbia, South Carolina. She served as Mister of Music at many churches throughout the Midand the Upstate of South Carolina to include, St. Paul Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina. A brief list of other churches are Whitehall A.M.E., Friendship A.M.E., Pleasant Springs A.M.E., Bethel Baptist Church in Blythewood, South Carolina and Chinquapin Baptist Church, in Batesburg-Leesville. On August 21, 1983, Felicia and the love of her life, Curtis Edward Hopkins, following a romantic courtship joined in Holy Matrimony at Zion Canaan Baptist Church of Columbia, South Carolina. They were married for forty-one years until "death did them part...." Curtis says he knew the moment he saw her dressing a mannequin in a store window on Main Street that he had "found" his wife". Felicia Hopkins joined Chappelle in 2013 under the leadership of Reverend Timothy Cokley She was very dutifully became the organist and choir director for the church, but her service to the church extended far beyond her music ministry. She served faithfully in the Women's Missionary Society, Church Women United, Lay Organization, and Stewardess Board. She proudly worked with young people at the church (YPD) and Vacation Bible School. Felicia was an assistant class leader for Class #7. Felicia was selected for Chappelle's Women of the Year, 2023. In the greater Columbia community, Felcia's career as a Sales Specialist at Whit Ash furniture store was a defining moment in her life. Her salesmanship gained her unexpected "celebrity". She became widely known and highly regarded as the go-to person at the store. Her decorum can be seen in numerous newly constructed churches and homes throughout Richland County and beyond. Since her death, unsolicited comments from people who only knew her though their encounter with her as their sales advisor have enthusiastically shared their postive experiences relating to Felicia. These positive reflections brought her family much joy. Members of several of the African American Churches built in the Columbia area within the past twenty yeas also, display her "special" gift and decorum. Her "gifts" were vast, and she found joy in their execution throughout her adult years. Her greatest joy, concern, and commitment were shown through her care of her children and grandchildren. She was a consistent and supportive mother of her children, through thick and thin and found the greatest joy in being a "super" grandmother. Despite her reality of cancer, Felicia was rearely seen in public spaces without one or more of her grandchildren in tow. Every event she attended with them or because of them was accompanied by an explosion if photos if the occasion. Felicia routinely "celebrated" all the uplifting acts of kindness that flowed into her life. She truly had a spirit of gratitude. Her special request of "Auntie Glenice" was that her homegoing services pay tribute and thanks to the circle of friends and supporters who drew near to her during her breast cancer years. Heading this group are all the folks who lead and participated in the Brookland Foundation Health and Wellness Ministry, especially those who worked annually in the October sponsorship of "The Color Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Gala" where Felicia was the 2023 Honoree. She contributed significantly to creating The Richland Historic Preservation Consortia, a new Historic Preservation organization. Felicia was Secretary of its Board of Directors. Felicia was preceded in death by her mother, Mrs. Ella Dean Boular Mack, her grandmother, Mrs. Daisy Boular; sister-in-law, Robin Ponder and a grandson, Master Jaylan Demarcus Buckley; her father-in-law, Wilson Carlson. She leaves to mourn her passing, her husband of forty-one years, Curtis Edward Hopkins; their children, Curtis Hopkins, II, Terrill (Hope) Hopkins, Christina Hopkins, Daniel Hopkins, Daniel Hopkins, and Nyeisha (Brandon) Hopkins-Gordon, all of Columbia, SC; grandchildren, Terrill Hopkins, Jr., Iyanna Hopkins, Laniya Hopkins, Curtis Hopkins, III, Jordan Buckley, Teagan Hopkins, Kadan Hopkins, and Tahiry Hopkins all of Columbia, SC; her father, Eddie Lee (Wilda) Mack; a sister, Dr. Marta Notai Mack, of Louisville, KY; brothers, Eddie Mack, Jr., Kevin Ezel Mack, Jacques Smith of Charlotte, NC, Mark (June) Smith of Columbia, SC; aunts, Ezelma Watkins and Glenice Pearson both of Columbia, SC; mother-in-law, Joann Hopkins; sisters-in-law, Cindell (Chauncey) Attucks, and Joy Hopkins; brothers-in-law, Tony Hopkins, Vincent Hopkins, and Albert Kilbert and a host of great nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends. Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, May 9, 2024 at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 819 Woodrow Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29205. The Reverend Dr. Ceasar Richburg, Pastor, The Reverend Rosalyn Coleman, presiding, The Reverend Michael Buckson, eulogist. Interment to follow in the Crescent Hill Memorial Gardens. Mrs. Hopkins will lie in-state at the church one hour prior to the service time. Public viewing will be held from 12 noon until 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 8, 2024 at A. A. Dicks Funeral Home Like our Facebook page: A. A. Dicks Funeral Home - Sullivan Chapel Add our Facebook Friend Page and leave a comment: A. A. Dicks FH

Mrs. Felicia Abigail Mack Hopkins

June 17, 1960 - May 2, 2024