Melva Jean Hawkins, 82, passed away Friday, August 7, 2020 at Parkview Care Center, Osborne, KS.
Jean was born May 23, 1938 on the family farm to Wardie M. and Lavina
C. (Carver) Hawkins. She was a member of the First Christian Church and
past president of the Chamber of Commerce both of Smith Center.
Jean spent many years as a business women on the main street of Smith
Center where she owned her own clothing store and also did accounting
for several other businesses. Jean enjoyed cooking, watching RFD TV,
driving around town to see if anything new was happening, talking on the
phone, visiting with her family and listening to the local scanner for
news to pass along. She loved her three grandchildren and was a
honorary grandmother to all of their friends and was affectingly known
as the "Grandma Taxi". She enjoyed watching the school channel when any
of the grandkids played sports or a school activity. She was
passionate about organizing family dinners and planning her high school
class reunion, class of 1956.
She was preceded in death by
her parents, brother Duane Hawkins, two nephews, Larry Baetz and Jerry
Hawkins, brother-in-law Leland Baetz and nephew-in-law Milo Shellito.
Jean is survived by her son Darin (Jessica) Hawkins of Smith Center;
sister Helen Baetz of Smith Center; sister-in-law Maydeen Hawkins of
Smith Center, three grandchildren, Ashton, Avery and Adrian Hawkins all
of Smith Center and many nieces and nephews.
A
celebration of Jean's life will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, August
11, 2020 at All Faiths Funeral Chapel, 113 S. Madison St., Smith Center,
KS, with Pastor Randy Hill officiating. Visitation will be held from
1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Monday, August 10, 2020 with family present to
greet friends from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at the funeral chapel. Burial
will take place in Fairview Cemetery, Smith Center, KS. Memorials may
be given to Melva Jean Hawkins Memorial Fund and can be sent in care of
the funeral chapel.