
Don A. Hawkins
June 26, 1936 - June 17, 2022
Obituary
Don's LIVE STREAM Service will begin at 11 a.m CT on Saturday, July 30, 2022. A LIVE STREAM slideshow will precede the service from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Saturday.
There are two ways to join the Live Webcast:
1. Scroll down to the Events, under the Livestream Service click on "Watch Event"
2. Click on tribute wall (above) and click on "Live Webcast"
Donald Allan Hawkins died peacefully at home in Cambridge, Wis., on June 17, 2022. He was 85. Don was born in Denver, Colo., on June 26, 1936, to Viola and Ralph Hawkins. He graduated from South High School and earned a B.S. in business and finance from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1958. Stationed in Germany in the U.S. Army, he served as a Lieutenant and Platoon Leader, before returning stateside to reside in Denver until relocating to Wisconsin in 2000.
In his professional life Don was ever the problem-solver, with a set of skills like a Swiss Army knife, spanning from finance to mechanics and from management to sales, to which he’d add new aptitudes he’d develop on the job-but really on the spot, such was his ingenuity. By one count, Don listed over three dozen jobs he’d held over the years. He could be both tireless entrepreneur and selfless team member-whether he was managing a stock portfolio at Hamilton Management, running Unique Pizza with its fleet of battery-powered propane-ovened delivery buggies, organizing a summer’s worth of creative activities for kids at the YMCA Day Camp, or administering quality assurance testing at Martin Marietta aerospace.
The church was always an important part of Don’s life. He grew up in Denver’s Central Presbyterian Church and was an active member of Wellshire Presbyterian Church in Denver, Colo., First Presbyterian Church in Littleton, Colo., and Covenant Community Presbyterian Church in Wausau, Wis. Then, Don and Margaret were welcomed by Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church after making their final move to Cambridge. He was curious in Bible study, playful in teaching Sunday School, and resounding as a bass in the church choir. Don and Margaret, his wife, could also be found exploring new recipes and hosting dinner parties. At dinner, as everywhere, Don possessed a sharp wit, and, if the occasion allowed, a dancer’s quick step. If you have a good eye, you can spot him as an extra in a ballroom scene in The Glenn Miller Story.
As Don’s faculties declined, his humor-or that generous smile-endured. It has been a long journey, and we wish him rest.
Don is survived by his wife, Margaret Hawkins; his children, Judy Hawkins (Paul Phillips), Gary Hawkins (Susan Landon Godfrey), and Holly Gould (Adam); his grandchildren, Cameron and Elizabeth Gould; and Pat Jurgens, mother of Gary and Judy.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 30, 2022, at Covenant Community Presbyterian Church, 1806 Weston Ave., Schofield, WI 54476. The visitation begins at 10 a.m., with a service at 11 a.m., followed by military honors and a luncheon. Family and friends who wish to view services via LIVE STREAM may visit Don’s obituary page at www.gundersonfh.com and click on the Live Webcast link at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 30, 2022. A LIVE STREAM slideshow will precede the service from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Saturday.
If you would like to make a gift of flowers or plant for Don's service, please contact Evolutions in Design in Wausau at EvolutionsinDesign or call (715) 849- 2586. All orders will be delivered to the church on July 30 or per your directions. The family suggests that memorial contributions be made in Don’s memory to Sleep in Heavenly Peace (a local group of volunteers who build and install beds for children who do not have one), Good News Project (www.goodnewswi.com) or a charity of your choice. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
Gunderson East
Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420