Obituary of Trevor Lee Hopkins

Trevor Lee Hopkins, age 47 of Iowa City, formerly of Cedar Rapids, died suddenly of an apparent heart attack at his home in which he nicknamed “The Sunshine House,” on Friday, March 17, 2023. A time for family and friends to gather will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service concluding with some words from family and friends beginning at 6:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in his memory to the Iowa City Bike Library or the Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP). Trevor Lee Hopkins was born July 22, 1975, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa the son of William “Bill” C. and Bernetta “Bunny” Lee (Nehring) Hopkins. Following graduation from George Washington High School in 1993, he attended San Francisco State University for education in Sound Design and Music Production. Trevor has spent his entire working life in the fields of music, food, and making community connections. Growing up, he loved spending time at their family’s cabin and cooking up a storm in the kitchen. He also worked many hours in his dad’s business repairing 4-wheel drive vehicles, with a special affinity for Jeeps. His job titles included audio engineer, talent buyer, music producer, Little Village’s Distribution Manager, and cook. He liked his jobs, often holding 3 or 4 of them at once. He started his career in the music business at The Green Room and became an integral part of The Mill’s legacy. Most recently, he enjoyed his time as a cook for the University of Iowa mentoring and teaching students and cooking for his favorite, Bluder’s Bunch: the Iowa Women’s Basketball Team. Coach Bluder often credited their wins at home to their pregame meal. Trevor had so many passions and wanted to share them with all he knew, doing so with love and selflessness. He was a friend to everyone and saw the best in people. His life’s mission was to, as he said it, “put people on stage” and that he did. Trevor was instrumental in starting the annual Mission Creek Festival and helping to save the Englert Theatre. As was so eloquently said, “if you have attended a show in Iowa City over the last few decades, chances are Trevor had something to do with it, and was one of the reasons it was a success.” His influence will continue to radiate in this community indefinitely. Trevor loved playing the drums, the Packers, the Cubs, swimming, and biking. He loved to travel with his best friend, the love of his life, his wife, Ashlee. He was a serious and very good photographer and enjoyed politics and staying informed with all the news of the day. Most importantly he wanted everyone to have fun. Often not letting his mom, Bunny Lee, get off the phone until he got her to laugh. Trevor’s family includes his wife, Ashlee Louise; his parents, Bill and Bunny Hopkins; sister and her husband, Tonia Louise and Jason Rowe; niece, Ella Rowe; nephew, Liam Rowe; father-in-law, Terry Davis; and sisters-in-law and their families, Taylor and Brandon Lawson and their children, Lucy and Milo, and Maycee and Trevor Piles and their children, Colin, Ashton, Bennett, Aubrey and Veda; and Trevor’s furry family, Nic, Dr. Levi Puppernicle Lee Hopkins and Lil’ Rosie. Trevor was a man who never met a stranger, loved to make you happy and wanted you to laugh; simply cared about not only those he loved as family and friends, but truly those he had yet to meet and share his wit, humor, music, food, family, friends but most importantly his love for all.