Ryleigh Nichole Hopkins of Beggs passed away Thursday, June 6, 2024, at the tender age of 19. She was born on July 3, 2004, in Tulsa to her parents, Marci (Pilkington) Hopkins and Matt Swayze.
Ryleigh was a dedicated employee, working as a clerk at QuikTrip, where her cheerful demeanor was appreciated and her smile infectious. She always loved seeing new faces and meeting people. Before that, she worked as a personal shopper at Walmart. Both jobs allowed her to express her personality and meet new people.
Ryleigh graduated from Beggs High School in 2022. Ryleigh’s high school years were filled with music, laughter and friends. She played the flute in the marching and concert band and was a member of the color guard. She furthered her education concurrently at Green Country Technology School, where she earned a degree in cosmetology. She was an active member of the Beggs FFA Chapter and was a State FFA Degree recipient.
Ryleigh was a vibrant individual who enjoyed spending time with family and friends at the lake. Her personality was a blend of humor, warmth and sass. She was often described as funny, bubbly, multifaceted, carefree and a wildfire, leaving a lasting impression on everyone she met.
She is preceded in death by her beloved Gene “Papaw” Short, great-grandmother, Geraldine Smith, and two infant siblings of Matt and Sarah Swayze.
Ryleigh leaves behind a multitude of loving memories with her family. She is survived by her mother, Marci, and father, CJ Hopkins; her father, Matt Swayze, and his wife Sarah; her brothers, Dalton, Aiden, David, Corbin, Carson, and sisters Catherine and Stephanie. She is also survived by her grandparents, Ralph and Lavita Hill, Jim and Carla Pilkington, Sherry Swayze and Bobby Swayze, her great-grandmothers Dot “Grammy” Short and Chris Ballard, Uncle July 3, 2004 – June 6, 2024
Derek and Aunt Cherri Pilkington, her uncle Lane, and Aunt Shay Pilkington, and cousins Dax, Claire, Harlan, Brooks, Breyden, Kaia, Ian, Tyler, Natalie, Mackenzie, Paisley, Hunter, Forrest, Dylan, Delilah, and Devin along with niece and nephew Jayden and Lillian as well as many other loving relatives from the families of the Hopkins, Swayze, Pilkington, Hill, and Codding and a host of friends. They will forever hold her in their hearts.
A public visitation was held from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, 2024, at Schaudt’s Okmulgee Funeral Service Chapel. A funeral service to honor and celebrate Ryleigh’s life will occur at 1 p.m. on June 12, 2024, at First Assembly of God, 401 E. Main Street in Beggs, with Mandy Atwell and Rev. Robert C. Yandell officiating. A graveside service will be held at the Burton Roach Memorial Pavilion at Beggs Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Ethan Hobbs, Stephen Hobbs, Shawn Powell, Dalton Swayze, Ryan McCoy, Hagan Fisher and Ian Holmes.
Arrangements are entrusted to Schaudt’s Okmulgee Funeral Service & Cremation Care, 220 S. Alabama Ave. in Okmulgee. Family and friends are invited to leave kind words of comfort, share special memories and offer condolences to the family online at www.schaudtfuneralservice. com. Ryleigh’s legacy of love, laughter and light will continue to inspire all who knew her. Though her time with us was far too short, her spirit will remain a guiding force, reminding us to embrace life with the same passion and joy that she did. She will be deeply missed, but her memory will live on in the hearts of those she touched.
