Walter Gray "Bud" Hopson III

Walter Gray “Bud” Hopson III

February 14, 1946 – June 8, 2026

Walter Gray “Bud” Hopson III, 80, of Grants Pass, Oregon, passed away suddenly on June 8, 2026.

Bud was born on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1946, in Phoenix, Arizona, and raised in Yuma, where he graduated from Yuma High School in 1964. Shortly after graduation, he joined the United States Navy, a decision that shaped much of his life.

While home on holiday leave in 1965, Bud attended a New Year’s Eve party in Greer, Arizona, where he met Lynn Wiltbank. Lynn and her friends decided to leave the party early to attend a dance “in town.” Lynn’s mother suggested she invite Bud to go with them, which she did, but then didn’t pay him much attention as she knew he was engaged. They saw each other again the next summer. Bud was no longer engaged and the two quickly discovered how much they enjoyed spending time together. When Lynn flew home from school in Hawaii a few months later, she stopped in San Francisco where Bud was stationed to spend time with him and they became engaged after only one day! They were married in Eagar, Arizona, during a blizzard on December 27, 1966, beginning a marriage that would span nearly sixty years.

Bud served two tours in Vietnam and attended submarine school in Groton, Connecticut, with duty stations that included Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Long Beach, California. On the way home from his tour in 1968, his only daughter, Audry, was born. He remained proud of his military service and was deeply patriotic throughout his life.

After his discharge from the Navy, Bud attended trade school in Colorado, where he learned gunsmithing. The family then settled in Tucson, Arizona, before relocating to Grants Pass in 1984, where Bud owned and operated Lock, Stock and Barrel until his retirement in 2013.

A voracious reader who loved current events, Bud was a master of trivia. Watching Jeopardy! with him was one-of-a-kind entertainment as he easily answered almost every question correctly, much to his family’s delight. He enjoyed vacationing on the Oregon Coast and loved taking his family to Disneyland, where the thrill rides were always his favorite. He appreciated good Mexican food and never turned down a thick chocolate malt.

Bud is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 60 years, Lynn; his daughter, Audry (Rod); grandchildren Tanner (Kamry), Peyton, and Abby; and his great-granddaughter, Regan.

Please join Bud's family at his memorial service on Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Savage Street Building. 

Please share fond memories of Bud in his Guestbook.