Tom Hawkos
February 13, 1929 - September 23, 2024
Obituary
MIDDLETON - Thomas “Tom” Hawkos, age 95, died peacefully on Sept. 23, 2024, at Agrace Hospice in Fitchburg.
Tom was born on Feb. 13, 1929, to Celia (Davidson) and Hubert Hawkos in Portage, Wis. He grew up in Milwaukee and Rio, Wis., and graduated from Rio High School (1947), where he was an accomplished athlete playing basketball, baseball, football, volleyball and percussion in the marching band. He married his high school sweetheart, Joan DePuy, on Dec. 29, 1952, at Rio Redeemer Lutheran Church. They were married for 56 years before Joan’s death in 2009.
Tom graduated from UW-Platteville with a B.S. degree in Education (1952). He received his master’s degree in industrial education from UW-Stout (1962). He enjoyed teaching Industrial Arts for 32 years in Mellon, Clintonville, and Middleton, Wis., before retiring in 1986. Tom was a lifelong member of the Wisconsin Education Association and the National Educational Association and with Joan, was instrumental in the formation of the Middleton Retired Educators group, with scholarships as their primary goal.
In 1952, Tom was drafted into the U.S. Army for two years. After basic training at Camp Chaffee, Ark., he was sent to Germany where he served with the occupation troops. In 2013, he participated in the Badger Honor Flight along with his son, Rad, where they visited Washington, DC monuments and memorials.
Tom enjoyed traveling and sharing experiences with his family. When his family was young, they spent many summer vacations traveling from coast to coast visiting most of the continental United States and Canada. They visited many national parks, historic monuments and cultural attractions. Following retirement, Tom and Joan traveled extensively with the Elderhostel Program (continuing education for seniors) and also traveled internationally with “Heroics,” a group of special friends. The family took a Caribbean Cruise together to celebrate Tom and Joan’s 50th wedding anniversary. In 2000, they moved from Middleton to Windsor, where they built their dream home backing up to the Yahara River and conservation land. Tom moved back to Middleton in 2015 and resided at Middleton Glen Retirement Community for nine years. In July 2024, Tom moved to Agrace Hospice Memory Care. He was a member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church and participated in many committees and activities.
Tom had numerous hobbies and enjoyed hunting and fishing, making many trips to Canada, including fly-ins to isolated lakes. Tom participated in many sports with family and friends. He enjoyed downhill skiing with his family at Winter Park, Colo., for his 80th birthday and continued to downhill ski until he was 85 years old. He loved playing golf and on his first day of golf league in 1969 he shot a hole-in-one.
Tom is survived by his children, Renae Hawkos (Michael Szczepaniak) of Fort Collins, Colo., Rad (Megan) Hawkos of Monona, and Teri (Dan) Volk of Mount Horeb; grandchildren, Kelsey (John) Franzen, Quentin (MarLee) Johnson-Volk, Hattie Volk and Ryan Hawkos; and great-grandchildren, Charlie and Joni Franzen. He was preceded in death by his wife, Joan; his parents, Hubert and Celia Hawkos; brother, Alton Hawkos; and sister-in-law, Lorraine Hawkos.
A celebration of life will be held at BONNET PRAIRIE LUTHERAN CHURCH, N3694 Old F Road, Rio, at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, with Pastor Heather Hayward presiding. A visitation will be held at the church from 10:30 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Bonnet Prairie Lutheran Church, N3694 Old F Road, Rio, WI 53960. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
Gunderson West
Funeral & Cremation Care
7435 University Ave.
(608) 831-6761