William Hawkins

William Edward Hawkins was born in Johnson County, near Cleburne, Texas on January 12, 1934, to William Clyde and Mary Velva Hawkins. He passed away on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 in Burleson, TX.

Edward grew up on a farm around the Joshua area with his two sisters, Eloise and Betty. His family farmed peanuts and picked cotton near Joshua and Lampasas. He attended Joshua schools and graduated in 1951 and was honored by Joshua High School as the Boy with the Highest Grade in his class. He earned his BA degree (76) in Marketing and an MBA (77) in Marketing from Redlands University in California.

He met his future wife, Dean Bonham, in 1942 when he was in the 2nd grade. They married on June 5, 1953 and moved to Fort Worth. There he enrolled in Draughon Business School and was employed by Sinclair Oil as a stenographer. Throughout his 35+ career with Sinclair/ARCO, Edward earned Salesman of the Year award and received multiple promotions and advancements, moving to Tulsa, Dallas, Los Angeles, and returning to Dallas in 1979. He then was employed with Harcourt School Publishers for many years, working in the promotions department supporting field sales staff in the Gulf Coast region and in California.

Edward served in the U.S. Army from 1955 through 1958. He did his basic training at Fort Ord in California, was stationed in Heidelberg, Germany for his tour. Upon returning to the states, he served in active duty reserves until 1965.

Edward was a long-time member of the Churches of Christ. He was a deacon at the Park Place Church of Christ in Tulsa and the Walnut Hill Church of Christ in Dallas. He taught Sunday morning Bible Class for middle-school and adults for many years.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Dean Hawkins, two children: daughter Pam Hawkins Lott (Ron) of Tyler, and son William David Hawkins (Ursula) of Irving. Surviving grandchildren include Brandon Allan Lott (Chanse), Lyndsey Kaye Guzman (Ben), Tyler Ron Lott (Evelyn), and William Barrett Hawkins (Brandice), two sisters, Eloise Evans (Mike) and Betty Mars (Jerry). He has 6 great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews.

Edward was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Mary Hawkins, and brothers in law Charles Bonham, Farrell Bonham, Bobby Bonham, and Cecil Bonham, nieces Angela Bonham and Natalie Dawn Sheridan, and nephew Greg Bonham.

Funeral services will be conducted on Wednesday, October 18, 2:00 P.M. at Crosier-Pearson Cleburne Chapel in Cleburne. Visitation will be at 1:00 P.M., Wednesday, October 18, 2023 prior to service. Burial, with military honors, will be at 3:30 P.M., Wednesday, October 18, 2023 in Union Hill cemetery, Joshua, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, you may make donations to Christian Works for Children, formerly known as Christian Services of the Southwest, Harvest Hill Rd. Dallas, TX 75230.