A woman of ‘passion and compassion’

Lena Hopkins was inducted into the Howard Academy Community Center Black History Museum Archives Gala in Ocala on Feb. 23, 2024. The longtime senior manager of pro bono services locally passed away June 29 in Ocala. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]

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Posted July 4, 2026 | By Susan Smiley-Height, [email protected]

Many of those who have received pro bono legal services in Marion County over more than two decades may have Lena Hopkins to thank.

Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc., which has several offices in Central Florida, including in Ocala, is a civil legal aid law firm that promotes equal access to justice and provides professional legal aid to help low-income people protect their livelihoods, health and families. 

During a career with the firm, which spanned more than 27 years, Hopkins served as senior manager of pro bono services for most of that time.

Hopkins passed away in Ocala on June 29 at the age of 72.

In sharing the news of her passing with colleagues, Jeffrey Harvey, Esq., chief executive officer of Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, addressed “dear volunteer attorneys” in a letter.

“It is with incredible sorrow that I share the passing of our beloved colleague, advocate, and friend, Lena Hopkins. For 27 years, Lena dedicated herself to the mission of Community Legal Services, where she inspired us all by embodying both passion and compassion. Many of you knew Lena personally. Whether she recruited you to take your first pro bono case, partnered with you on behalf of a client, or simply thanked you for your willingness to serve, she built genuine relationships that strengthened entire communities.

“Lena believed to her core that access to justice was a shared responsibility. With her authenticity and commitment, she inspired hundreds of attorneys to give their time and talents in service to those who otherwise would not have had access to legal representation. She understood that every attorney recruited represented another family helped, another crisis resolved, another life stabilized. The impact of those collective efforts is immeasurable.”

According to her daughter Jackie Shuler, Hopkins was born in Daytona Beach and was raised in Ocala, where she came to live as a young child.

Among the many accolades Hopkins earned locally over the years was receiving the Community Service Uplift Award in recognition of 25 years dedicated to serving low-income and vulnerable Floridians and for her membership on numerous local nonprofits during the 2025 43rd annual Marion County NAACP Branch Freedom Fund and Awards Banquet in Ocala.

In an article recapping the event, Hopkins told the “Gazette” she was “privileged to make a difference for many in our community and will continue the good fight.”

Earlier that year, on Feb. 28, Hopkins, who was a graduate of the University of Florida, was mistress of ceremonies for the third annual Howard Academy Community Center Black History Awards Gala at the College of Central Florida’s Harvey R. Klein Conference Center.

On March 8, 2024, Hopkins was one of several local women in law and government who were honored during the International Women’s Day Celebration and luncheon hosted by Ollin Women International.

Organizers of the event shared to the “Gazette” at the time that Hopkins served “on the board of the National Association of Pro Bono Professionals and is a two-time recipient of the statewide Kay Myers Pro Bono Service Award. She also has served on the boards of Habit for Humanity, Central Florida Community Action Agency, Greater Ocala Community Development Corporation, Marion County Continuum of Care, Marion County Children’s Alliance Family Violence Prevention Workgroup and Community With A Heart.”

On Feb. 23, 2024, nine people, including Hopkins, were inducted into the Howard Academy Community Center Black History Museum Archives. In addition to the affiliations mentioned above, the program for the event noted that Hopkins also “has been involved with the Back 2 School Bash, a joint effort of the Marion County Children’s Alliance and the city of Ocala, which provides backpacks and school supplies to youth. She is a graduate of Focus on Leadership and Leadership Ocala/Marion. She is an ordained minister and elder elect of the Pressing Place Church.”

Shuler, who was Hopkins’ only child, and who is a graduate of Florida State University, recalled that some of her most fond memories of her mother were, “traveling, daily chats and text conversations, unspoken moments that only we understand.”

She said her mother taught her “to lead with integrity, treat everyone with kindness and respect, and the impact you can have by helping others,”

“Her legacy will be service, compassion and an unwavering dedication to others,” Shuler offered.

Cynthia Wilson Graham is a noted local author, historian, businesswoman and photographer. She and Hopkins were friends and colleagues.

“Lena was a warm-hearted person who always seemed to see the good in everyone she met. I truly enjoyed photographing her because her beautiful smile and vibrant personality could light up any room; several pictures of her recently posted by Facebook users are from my collection of images,” Graham noted.

“She was also one of my trusted contacts while researching the history of Marion County, and she was always willing to share her knowledge and passion for our community,” Graham added. “Lena was a dedicated advocate for Community Legal Services, serving others not only while on the clock but often long after her workday had ended. Her compassion, kindness and commitment to helping others left a lasting impact on countless lives. She will be deeply missed, but her legacy of service and her radiant spirit will never be forgotten.”

The annual Community With A Heart campaign is designed to help local people recover from challenges. The community-wide effort is administered by a volunteer board of directors, whose members review all applications for assistance. Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida Inc. was one of the member agencies. The annual drive relies on donations from members of the community and businesses, and all of the money is used to help people in Marion County.

The longtime CWAH board chair is Monica Bryant, the Family Violence Prevention Coordinator for the Marion County Children’s Alliance, who was a friend and colleague of Hopkins.

“I’ve lost quite a few friends lately, but this loss hit differently. Lena was and meant a lot of things to people, but to me, for the past 20 years she’s been my 10/10 friend (our birthdays are 10 years and 10 days apart) sometimes my conscience and my partner in good deeds. We always did things on the buddy system. If I wasn’t going, neither was she,” Bryant shared.

“We talked almost every day, sometimes two or three times a day. What I miss most is being able to pick up the phone and call her and complain when people do ridiculous things—things that to us they should know better, but Lena would always say, ‘Monica, I don’t know what to tell you, you’re looking for logic.’ Although I’m glad God did not allow my friend to suffer, in this case, I’m still looking for logic,” Bryant said.

The viewing for Hopkins will take place from 4:30 to 7 p.m. July 10 at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church, 606 SW Broadway St., Ocala. A celebration of life will begin at 11 a.m. July 11 at Immerse Church of Ocala, 5105 N. US Highway 441, Ocala.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Hopkins’ honor may be made to Community with a Heart. To donate online, go to ocalafoundation.org/community-foundation-funds/community-with-a-heart/ or checks can be made payable to CWAH and mailed to P.O. Box 1777, Ocala, FL 34478.

In his letter to the volunteer attorneys with whom Hopkins worked, Harvey wrote, “As we mourn Lena’s passing, we also celebrate the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind. Every client served through our volunteer attorney program, every partnership she cultivated, and every life touched through her work stands as a lasting testament to her impact.”