Paul Thomas Hoppes Jr.'s Obituary
With great sadness we share the passing of Paul Thomas Hoppes, Jr. on May 12, 2026. Larger than life, he filled every room in which he entered with his presence, brilliance, and ability to tell a story in such an entertaining manner that people gathered to listen. He liked to tell people he “never had a job in his life”, but in truth, he worked harder and smarter than most, working solely for himself and the businesses he built. He started his entrepreneurial career in furniture stores in locations from Tampa to Clearwater, and with his classic fearless confidence, began his pride and joy, Seminole Marine, in 1986. With no experience in the marine industry, and his wife Collene by his side, Paul took a small warehouse in Havana, Florida and turned it into a manufacturing plant for his flagship brand, Sailfish Boats. In 1995, Seminole Marine’s success attracted the attention of a brand new industrial park in Cairo, GA, and the move was made to Seminole Marine’s permanent home. Expanding from 50,000 sf to over 150,000, Seminole Marine quickly emerged as the single largest employer in the county. Paul and Collene were fixtures in the community, with great involvement in the Cairo Building Authority.
Sailfish Boats set the standard for the industry with its high-quality materials, impeccable quality control, and design; but it was Paul himself whose presence attracted dealer after dealer to the brand. As the owner and President, Paul’s business acumen and involvement in the success of his distributors grew the brand to its exceptional reputation. Paul enjoyed consulting with his dear friend and mentor, Dick Deputy, and working with his children April and Paul III. Seminole Marine became a fixture in the marine industry, later acquiring Southwind Boats to add to its roster.
Born October 30, 1952 in Kokomo, Indiana as the eldest of seven siblings, Paul was fiercely independent and set out on his own at the age of 17. Marrying his beloved wife Collene in September of 1971 was his greatest joy. For nearly 55 years he introduced her as “my bride”- forever demonstrating that his love for her remained the same throughout their marriage as on the day they were married. Shortly after wedding, Paul and Collene relocated to Port Richey, Florida, then, along with their eldest daughter, April, to Safety Harbor, where they welcomed daughter Crystal, and later son Paul III. In 1985 the family made the move to Tallahassee, Florida where Paul, an avid hunter, was able to pursue his passion for the outdoors while remaining in close proximity to his family. In 2008, Paul and Collene purchased their 20-acre property in Havana, Florida and built their lovely home- as well as Paul’s dream barn- where he was able to store his many tractors, tools, and more while tinkering in his workshop to his heart’s content.
Paul enjoyed working, both physically on his property and intellectually in business and writing, a talent shared in a variety of professional publications. Before retirement, weekends were happily spent going to town with Collene, then roaming his property on one of his many tractors. From morning until night, he found things to do, often calling upon Collene or one of his children to be assistants while welding, building feeders for the plethora of animals on their property, or maintaining his acreage. He shared his love for the outdoors with his granddaughters Bella and Lola, taking them for adventures on the golf cart while animal spotting, maintaining dirt “mountains”, and searching for fossils amongst the rocks.
Paul was quietly generous, providing boats for local law enforcement, financial assistance to a variety of animal rescues, and allowing the safe release of rehabilitated animals on his properties. He would hand cash to a stranger in need, provide employment opportunities to many searching for work, and use his own vehicle to deliver large items to people he met in parking lots.
Paul is survived by his beloved wife, Collene Hoppes; three children April Woodward, Crystal Deaton (Steven), and Paul Hoppes III (Brandy); two granddaughters Mirabella Woodward and Lola Deaton; and siblings Joseph Hoppes and Mary Skinner.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 12pm Sunday, June 14, 2026 at The Retreat at Bradley’s Pond, 9002 Bradley Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32309.
In lieu of flowers,donations may be made to St. Francis Wildlife Association at the link below via PayPal by including “Hoppes Memorial” in the payment note, or by mailing a check with “Hoppes Memorial” written in the memo line to St Francis Wildlife, 5580 Salem Road Quincy, FL 32353
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