MEMORIAL SERVICE

Stockham Family Funeral Home McPherson, Kansas

Friday, May 4,2012, at 2:00 PM

OFFICIATING CLERGY

Pastor Mike Hambley

SPECIAL MUSIC

"In the Garden" "Just a Closer Walk with Thee"

Gary Hawkes, vocalist Coleta Steers, pianist

MEMORIAL DONATIONS

The family suggests that memorial donations be given to the American Heart Association or Harmony Foundation International in loving memory of Rich.

ApPRECIATION

On behalf of the family, we wish to express their sincere appreciation for all your kindnesses, evidenced in thought and deed, and for your presence at this service.

Stockham :Fami{y :Funera{ J{ome

RICHARD LEROY HAWKES

FEBRUARY 21, 1934 - APRIL 30, 2012

Il\~Iich was born on February , 21, 1934, in North Loup,

I Nebraska in his parents' home. He was the fourth of the nine children born to Sunshine Clifford and Aleta Inez (Manchester) Hawkes.

He graduated from North Loup High School in a class of six. The school was so small that all the Hawkes boys played every sport. Rich was a lifelong sports fan, especially of golf.

Rich joined the Navy after high school, and it was while on leave for his father's funeral that he met Phyllis and they started dating. On February 10, 1954, Rich was united in marriage to Phyllis Annette Howdy in Grand Island, Nebraska. They started married life together in a home in Hutchinson, Kansas. While Rich was overseas their first child, Cindy, was stillborn. Janet Marlene was born at the base hospital on October 4, 1955. She preceded him in death on December 11, 1990.

After his honorable discharge from the Navy, Rich got a job working for IBM as a field engineer. Rich took classes and traveled for computer training, sometimes taking the family with him. During these first years with IBM, Rich and Phyllis lived in Wichita, which is where the boys were born. Rich's mother and four younger siblings also relocated to Wichita.

In 1965, Rich and Phyllis moved from Wichita to McPherson and lived south of town on 14th Avenue. During this time they raised dogs and horses.

Rich settled into his job and joined the McPherson JayCees. He also enjoyed following the kids' activities.

Rich and Bill Loewen started the local barbershop chorus; in which Rich was a charter member and the first president. He sang in many quartets. In 1986, Rich and Phyllis moved back to Wichita, but that didn't stop Rich from coming back to McPherson to sing for several years. He even came up for a Barbershop reunion earlier this year. continued--+-7

Golf was a big part of Rich's life and he shared this love with his sons. Another love was his two grandsons, Brandon and Josh. Rich would talk about the Navy with Brandon, and Josh would call or stop by every couple of weeks to see how his grandparents were doing.

Rich retired from IBM at age 55 and started working for a small computer company, moving back to Wichita in 1986. When Rich started having heart problems, he retired and opened a golf shop, Custom Clubs International, which later became Custom Golf Central. Phyllis and Rex worked in the shop, and over the years, everyone in the family who played had clubs built by Rich. Rich closed the shop a few years ago.

On May 14, 1988, Rich received a heart transplant after spending twelve weeks in the hospital. During the last fourteen years, Rich made the most of his second heart. It was a good fourteen years of traveling to Florida several times to play golf with Gary and Cliff, and visiting Nebraska for Popcorn Days and family reunions.

Rich loved his family and was very proud of his children. It was a major blow when Janet died. Rich and Phyllis both thanked God for their grandbabies; it gave them something to live for.

Rich entered peacefully into eternal rest on Monday, April 30, 2012, at Via Christi-St. Francis Medical Center in Wichita. He was seventy-eight.

Survivors include: his wife, Phyllis of the home; sons, Cliff Hawkes and wife, Edna, of McPherson, KS and Rex Hawkes of Wichita, KS; brothers, Gary Hawkes and wife, Johnnie, of St. Cloud, FL and Dennis Hawkes and wife, Jeri, of Grand Island, NE; sisters, Linda Murphy and husband, Lloyd, of Wichita, KS and Pat Albert of Wichita, KS; and two grandsons, Brandon Hawkes and wife, Cassie, of San Diego, CA and Josh Hawkes of Nashville, TN.

He was preceded in death by his parents, daughters, Cindy Hawkes and Janet Hawkes, brothers, Dale, Bob, & Bruce Hawkes, and sister, Erlene Warford.

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