Charles E. Hawkins, 96 years old, of Bellflower, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at the Truman VA Hospital in Columbia, surrounded by his family.
Charles “Charlie” Elmer Hawkins was born on July 27, 1926, in Granite City, Ill., to Delmar M. Hawkins and Estelle Mae (Miller) Hawkins. He served with the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division from November 1944 until December 1946 as a Browning automatic rifleman (BAR) and combat swimmer, serving in the South Pacific and participated in the occupation of Japan in 1945. He received multiple World War II Medals.
He married Rose Marie “Rosie” Davis on July 27, 1947 in Wellsville and they enjoyed 28 wonderful years of marriage. He and Rosie enjoyed square dancing with the Squircle Eights Club, fishing trips to Wisconsin and working together on the farm in his younger years. Charlie loved the Lord and enjoyed studying the Bible. He taught VBS and Sunday School at several local churches and loved telling others about the Lord and reciting Bible facts and verses.
He enjoyed farming, gardening, swimming, hunting, carpentry, playing cards and spending time with his family. In his later years, as his sight declined, he enjoyed playing hearts and solitaire on the computer, watching westerns, planning projects, mowing his yard and hand feeding his cows. He always farmed along with working other jobs away from home. Over the years, he worked in construction building parts of Highway 70 near Columbia, then Ralston Purina in Montgomery City where he worked maintenance and drove a feed delivery truck for many years. He retired in 1989 after more than 25 years of service. He continued farming after his retirement and until he passed.
Charlie is survived by his daughter, Shirley (Ron) Wiss of Warrenton; sons, Charles, Jr. “Chuck” (Peggy) of Franklin, Tenn.; and Aaron (Jennifer) of Wright City. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Helen Hall of Warrenton; Heather DeWire of Spring Hill, Tenn.; and Mark Hawkins (Stacy) of College Grove, Tenn. He is also survived by his great grandchildren: Jacob Feger IV of Wright City; Savanah Miller of Warrenton; Dakota Miller of Lake St. Louis; Alexa Miller of Warrenton; Will DeWire of Franklin, Tenn.; Meghan DeWire of Spring Hill, Tenn.; Charlie W. Hawkins and Jake Hawkins of College Grove, Tenn. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Charlie will be missed by everyone who knew him.
Charlie was preceded in death by his parents, Delmar M. Hawkins and Estelle Mae (Miller) Hawkins; his wife, Rose Marie “Rosie” Hawkins; his son, Kenney William “Willie” Hawkins; his grandson, Jacob Edgar “Eddie” Feger III; sisters, Shirley Mae Hawkins and Irma Jean Pine; brothers, Delmar I. Hawkins, James Hawkins and Robert “Butch” Hawkins.
A memorial gathering will be held at the Bellflower United Methodist Church on March 18, 2023 from 1 p.m.-3 pm with a private family burial to follow. Donations may be made to the Bellflower United Methodist Church, Brush Creek Cemetery in Bellflower and St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Please send donations, in care of Bibb-Veach Funeral Home, 606 West Main St., Bowling Green, MO 63334.
