Rob Vanstone: Greatness was in the cards for Jim Hopson
04/05/2024 04:01
Part of Jim Hopson's story includes multi-million-dollar profits and a presence, a personality, of a comparably grand scale.
But some of the best episodes from his remarkable life are truly priceless.
"One of our favourite haunts was the Dollarama," Brenda Edwards recalled at the Conexus Arts Centre during Friday's celebration of her husband's life. "There's one quite near to us, so we frequented it.
"When you're in the beginning of a relationship, you spend a lot of time picking out that right card. Even we weren't afraid to buy a Hallmark card that costs seven bucks at that time.
"But as the relationship evolved, on a special occasion we would go to Dollarama and we would each pick out a bunch of cards that we'd like to give to one another.
"We would exchange the cards, standing at Dollarama, and then we would put them back on the shelf."
The predominantly green-clad crowd, which packed the main level of an expansive auditorium, roared.
There were plenty of laughs — nobody would have erupted more robustly than Jim — as he was remembered during a 90-minute tribute that evoked every emotion.
Our great friend passed away just over a month ago, a few hours after re-watching the 2013 Grey Cup Game in his bed, and it still doesn't seem real.
"It's honestly hard to believe he's no longer here," Tyler Hopson said while honouring his father. "He was such a larger-than-life person and it was so easy to feel like he would always be with us."
Tyler stood on-stage beside his sister, Carrie Hopson Stewart, for nearly 20 minutes and told personal, often poignant, stories about their father.
There was the tale of a trip he took to South Korea, where Carrie was teaching at the time. And, oh, how proud her dad — an educator for 30 years — must have been of her choice of vocation.
One fine day, Jim and Carrie visited the Rocky Mountain Tavern in Seoul.
"And wouldn't you know it?" Carrie said. "They had Rider signs on the wall."
Everyone mentioned the Saskatchewan Roughriders, of course, because of Jim's connection to the team as a player, executive, board member and fan.
However, specifics regarding the games — even the Grey Cup victories of 2007 and 2013 — or the Roughriders' profitability under his watch were seldom accentuated as everyone talked about "a big man with a big presence and a big smile and a big handshake," as Master of Ceremonies Dan Sherven put it so perfectly.
Jim's impact upon the Roughriders and the CFL was such that the Grey Cup trophy sat on a rotating platform at the front of the auditorium.
The keeper of the Cup, Jeff McWhinney, placed a pair of customized gloves in front of the trophy, palms down, "as a symbol of honour, integrity, dignity and diversity — words that truly define Jim Hopson."
McWhinney performed the Departure with Distinction Ceremony
in the presence of CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie and a lengthy list of dignitaries, friends, colleagues and fans.
Also present were teammates from the four seasons (1973 to 1976) in which Jim was an offensive lineman with the Green and White.
Many of the attendees got to know Jim during the 10 years in which he served as the team's President-CEO. The Roughriders' success over that decades was such that Jim was eventually inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
The passion and purpose with which Jim approached his career in education as a teacher, principal and administrator was reflected by the large turnout of people who were introduced to Jim during his first, and longest, career.
Terry Kuz met Jim in 1985, when he was the principal at Lumsden Elementary School. Jim interviewed, and ultimately hired, Terry for a position on the faculty.
"I left my teaching job in Swift Current to work with him," Terry recalled, "and little did I know it was the best career decision of my life.
"As the new elementary school principal, Jim was a visionary leader."
Terry wrote "Hoppy's Song," which was played at Friday's tribute, to honour a leader who was not caught up in titles or territoriality.
"Jim believed that everyone could make a significant contribution to the vision and mission of the school division, which focused on student learning," Terry said while reflecting on Jim's tenure as Director of Education for the Buffalo Plains/Qu'Appelle Valley School Division.
"This included school caretakers, bus drivers and bus maintenance staff. Jim knew many bus drivers by name. When the drivers brought in their bus for maintenance, some would bring in baking for the Director."
Years later, when Jim held the highest-ranking paid position in the Roughriders' organization, the fundamental philosophy endured.
One time, outside the Roughriders' old business office, Jim spotted someone who was struggling to cross Albert Street.
"Jim grabbed me by the arm and said, 'Come on, Maz. Let's help this guy get to McDonald's,' " said Steve Mazurak, who was hired by Jim as his right-hand man early in 2005.
"So Jim and I each grabbed an arm and we were guiding him across Albert Street. Halfway across, he stopped and looked up at Jim and said, 'I know who you are! You're Mr. Saskatchewan Roughrider!" And he smiled.
"Then he turned and looked up at me and he said, 'Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?!'
"You always kind of knew your place when you were with the big man."
Jim always loved his places — the home he shared with Brenda near Last Mountain Lake and their treasured retreat in Mexico — and was always quick to help others ensure that their residences were just as habitable.
"In the fall of 2004, Jim and others helped me shingle the new home I was building in Kannata Valley," remembered Don Sangster, a neighbour and close friend.
"I've always said that I didn't need an inspector to confirm the structural integrity of the home, because I had Jim and his 285 pounds helping to shingle the roof."
Jim's own integrity was factored into the words of everyone who remembered him during Friday's tribute.
"Every decision Jim made (with the Roughriders) was based on what was good for the fan, whether it was ticketing, game-day sponsorship, retail … absolutely everything," Mazurak noted. "If it wasn't good for the fan, it wasn't good for the Roughriders.
"And if you talked to teachers, they would say the same thing. Jim was all about the students. Nothing else mattered."
The same mindset was held by Brenda — herself an accomplished and beloved educator.
She was the principal of Edenwold School, part of the Buffalo Plains School Division, when she met Jim in 1984.
Jim and Brenda were friends and colleagues for the longest time before becoming a couple. They were married in 2010.
Beginning on April 9, 2021, when Jim was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer, Brenda helped her spouse through his toughest battle.
"I consider being his caregiver the greatest gift of our relationship," she said. "To be able to be with someone you love and to provide that care that they need, each and every day, up until that last breath was so meaningful for me. I thank him for allowing me to have that privilege."
The gratitude was expressed in writing, many times over.
"As Jim's journey was coming to an end, the cards we picked for one another became more and more important," Brenda said. "The last birthday card he gave me this past December, I'll treasure forever, because the words really mattered."
Brenda proceeded to share the words she wrote for Jim this past Valentine's Day.
"My husband, my love, my forever. I never thought I would find a man who would love me and accept me just the way I am. Then there was you. I never knew that being married could feel so right. Then you became my husband. I never realized I could feel this happy. Then your love changed my life forever. I'll always love you. Happy Valentine's Day. Love you always, B."
Jim celebrated his 73rd birthday on March 1, when he received another card from Brenda.
"My husband, my everything. When we first met, it was obvious how funny you were. And then I learned that behind all that funny is a guy with a great heart — a guy who really thinks about what other people need … a guy who would do whatever is necessary to take care of his family … and a guy I couldn't love or laugh without. I love you. Happy birthday. Love you forever, B."
"And he was so happy," Brenda added, "that the cards came from Dollarama."
