Johnny J. Hawkins' Obituary
Johnny J. Hawkins Jr. was born October 21, 1931, in
Birmingham, Alabama, to John J. Hawkins Sr. and Christine
Evans Hawkins. He was the third of nine children. Just
before Johnny entered junior high school, the Hawkins
family moved to Decatur, Illinois, where he met his future
wife, Laura Smith.
Upon graduating from Decatur High School in 1950, Johnny
immediately went to work for the federal government as a
clerk-typist at the Decatur Signal Depot. After two years, he
was drafted into the Marines, where he served two years
during the Korean War. After the armistice, he returned to
work at the Signal Depot and married Laura. The couple has
one daughter, Diane.
Beginning in 1961, Johnny had a series of promotions and
transfers to other government agencies in Columbus, Ohio;
suburban Detroit, Michigan; and finally, in St. Louis, where
he retired in 1993 as a systems analyst. He received many
commendations and certificates during his 43 years of
federal government service.
Johnny loved jazz. While in school, he got a part-time job at a local hotel and made
enough money to buy a tenor saxophone and music lessons. For a time, he led a
jazz band called Johnny Hawkins and his Co-Hawks, which played small venues
around central Illinois.
Johnny also loved sports. He earned many trophies in softball, bowling, golf, and
basketball, which was his favorite sport. Even after he developed neuropathy and
was unable to play, he avidly followed professional and college basketball, baseball,
and football on television. If you called him on the phone and asked him what
he was doing, he would almost always say, “Watching the ball game.”
Johnny passed away Wednesday, February 21, 2018. Surviving him are: his wife
and daughter; grandson ~ Devin Cox; son-in-law ~ Doug Cox; sister ~ Vertis
Hawkins Jones and her husband, John Jones; sister ~ Janice Hawkins Warren and
her husband, Joseph Warren; brother ~ Claude Hawkins and his wife, Celia;
brother ~ Erskine Hawkins and his wife, Shelly; sister ~ Christina Hawkins
Stringfellow and her husband, Allen Stringfellow; sister ~ the Rev. Cynthia Hawkins
Thomas; and a host of nieces, nephews, and other family.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Johnnie Mae Hawkins Brown;
and a brother, Thaddeus Jerome Coleman Hawkins.
What’s your fondest memory of Johnny?
What’s a lesson you learned from Johnny?
Share a story where Johnny's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Johnny you’ll never forget.
How did Johnny make you smile?
