Donna Mae Hopkins Sides, 65
May 2, 1960 – January 28, 2026
Donna Mae Hopkins Sides peacefully departed this earthly life and entered her eternal heavenly home on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at her residence in Ripley, Mississippi, following a long and courageous battle with Huntington’s Disease. Her life was a testament to perseverance, faith, and quiet strength, even in the face of tremendous challenges.
At her request, a private graveside service will be held at the Veterans Cemetery in Corinth, Mississippi, with family friend Bro. Doc Shelton offering words of comfort and hope. The family humbly asks for continued prayers as they navigate this season of loss.
Born on May 2, 1960, in Aurora, Illinois, Donna Mae was the cherished daughter of the late Sylvan and Ida Mae Addy Hopkins. She received her education at Ashland High School and went on to build a life centered on love, service, and faith. On January 11, 1979, she married her beloved late husband, Virgil “Buddy” Sides, a valuable member of the Ripley Funeral Home. Together, they built a home defined by love, faith, and unwavering commitment to family. A devoted wife, a loving mother, and a faithful employee, Mrs. Donna worked for many years as a dedicated bookkeeper for Jitney Jungle, known today as Food Giant.
A Christian woman of gentle spirit, Mrs. Donna found joy in the simple blessings of life. She loved reading, watching westerns, and spending hours talking on the phone with friends. Her church and church family were a constant source of comfort and fellowship, and nothing brought her greater joy than time spent with her family. She also had a servant’s heart and volunteered faithfully at My Choices Pregnancy Health Clinic in Tippah County, where her encouragement and compassion touched countless lives.
Though her journey was marked by hardship, Mrs. Donna never wavered in her faith or trust in the promises of the Lord. Her strength was quiet, her hope unwavering, and her testimony powerful. While she will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her, her family finds peace in knowing she is healed, whole, and resting in the loving arms of her Savior. She is joyfully reunited with her precious husband, Buddy, and all those who have gone before her, celebrating eternal life free from pain and suffering.
Her legacy of faith, love, and kindness will continue to live on in her two daughters, Kim Fryar, and Tiffany Sonwineski (Kenneth), one brother, Robbie Hopkins, and three grandchildren, Nolan and Gabe Sonwineski, and Jeremiah Fryar, along with her church family, and many friends who loved her dearly.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by two sisters, Glenda Spears, and Wanda Topp.
Ripley Funeral Home invites you to share memoires with Mrs. Donna’s family.
Please follow the funeral home link above for further information, or to send online condolences or memorial gifts.
