Paul Hawkins
September 22, 1920 ~ October 3, 2009
Resided in:
Leicester, NC
Paul Hawkins, 89, of 32 Old Turkey Creek Road, died Saturday, October 3, 2009, at the VA Medical Center.
Mr. Hawkins was born in Buncombe County and was a son of the late W.O. and Annie Hawkins. He was also preceded in death by a sister, Marie Arrington and a brother, Mack Hawkins. He served with the Army Air Corps during WW II and he was a life member of VFW Post 891. He was a retired farmer and a member of Turkey Creek Baptist Church, where he served as trustee, deacon, custodian, Sunday School Superintendent, member of the Building Committee, and Chairman of the Cemetery Committee.
He is survived by his wife, Nell Hunter Hawkins; one sister, Barbara Sluder, and a number of nieces and nephews, including a special nephew, Richard Hawkins and his wife, Maylynn.
Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at Turkey Creek Baptist Church with the Revs. Ricky Townsend, Ray Hipps and G.E. Freeman. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Dewayne Davis, J.G. Fox, Earl Ward, David Rice, Johnny Roberts, Charles Gillespie, David Hawkins and Tommy Tipton.
The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to the service.
Memorials may be made to the Turkey Creek Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 2206 Bear Creek Road, Leicester, NC 28748.
Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue is assisting with the arrangements.
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
I can’t think of a man that I have more childhood memories of, besides my own father, than Paul Hawkins. He will always be remembered driving his John Deere tractor around and it ‘putt-putting’. He helped us put up hay, cut tobacco and Pop had a vivid tale of them driving to White Pine, TN one time to buy grass seed. He was a man of few words and those words would come out with a long, slow southern drawl. He loved his old horse Popcorn and his ‘Poochie dog’. We would call each other with goat ailments and try to find each other answers over the phone. When Miss Nell taught our SS class, we looked forward to Christmas parties at their house. Paul made the BEST bologna sandwiches. The bologna was chopped REAL fine and he added pickle relish. We would always say that he learned to make them when he was a cook in the service. I don’t think we knew what ‘in the service’ meant, but we DID know that to our 8-12 year old taste buds he sure knew how to cook! Paul was very dedicated to Turkey Creek Baptist Church. Over the years he did everything from being Superintendent, deacon, janitor to fixing the communion table. If there was ever a man that was dependable to his church, community and family, it was Paul. I know that he is now watching us carry on. He will be greatly missed.
Freda Plemmons Woody
Uncle Paul was the most respected man I have ever had the privlege to know.
I worked with him in the tobacco field’s for about 2 week’s in my late teen’s.
That was enough for me,and I moved to Atlanta.
I will alway’s remember him and Aunt Nell for rasing my brother,Richard,and the fine job they did.
Many thanks’ to them.
May God give Aunt Nell peace and comfort.
Mack and Becky Hawkins
Paul was my best buddy.Buster and Buster,I followed him as a child on our walks he taught me about nature the world scripture cattle and people.Paul and Nell raised me and helped raise alot of kids.The two of them took me away of a life no child should live and gave me a strong loving home.Maylynn and I have been so blessed over the past few weeks about learning what true love is about.
Dear Nell, I want to express my deepest sympathy to you and the family in Paul’s homegoing. What a wonderful man and Christian witness he was. The reunion that he has experienced when he arrived home will be ours one day. If I can be of help, give me a call. Leah and I send our love and prayers during these days. May you experience and extra measure of God’s love and grace.
The life you lived was such a blessing and such a testimony. You will be missed dearly but we know that you are in a much better place.