Jeffrey S. Hawkinson

PEORIA - Jeffrey S. Hawkinson, 63, of Peoria passed away Friday morning, Feb. 26, 2010, at his home on Peoria's riverfront, surrounded by his loving wife, Cathi, and their four children.

There will be no formal funeral service. Jeff's wish was to have a "Happy Hour." It will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 6, 2010, at the Peoria Art Guild, 203 Harrison St. in Peoria.

Jeff was born in Galesburg on Aug. 31, 1946, a son of Jack and Marcia (Nelson) Hawkinson. They preceded him in death. He married Cathi Cheney Cornish in Chicago on May 7, 1987. She survives.

He also is survived by his sons, Matt (Kristen) Hawkinson of Dallas, Texas, and Brett (Kathy) Cornish of Coal Valley; daughters, Julie (Andy) McClure of Champaign and Brigit (Tim) Grunow of East Peoria; four adorable grandchildren, Addison and Devan McClure and Bailey and Beau Grunow; and brothers, Chris (Linda) Hawkinson of Galesburg and Joel (Sandy) Hawkinson of Sandwich.

After graduating from Galesburg High School in 1964, Jeff began his long list of "making a difference." As president of the Student Senate at Bradley University, Jeff marched with NAACP President John Gwynn in support of civil rights from Bradley to Peoria's City Hall in 1967 in protest over a city ordinance regarding off-campus housing for black students. The ordinance was amended. He also was station and program manager for campus radio station WRBU; president of Pi Kappa Delta, an honorary speech society; associate judge of the campus supreme court; junior class student senate; and a varsity debater. Hawkinson graduated Magna Cum Laude from Bradley University in 1968, where he also received his Master's in Communications in 1971.

His first job out of college was at WMBD-AM. From there he went on to WXCL-AM as a newscaster. His radio career included being the only reporter to talk to Eddie Blakes on the scene of the hostage and shooting at St. Cecilia Grade School in 1973. Jeff would later testify at his trial. In 1973, Jeff taught broadcast news at Illinois State University, where he founded the nationally recognized student news program, TV-10. At its 30th anniversary in 2004, Illinois State University honored Jeff with its TV-10 Founders Award, which annually recognizes the top TV-10 senior.

From 1975 to 1986, "Hawk" held positions as assignment editor, news director and broadcast manager at WEEK-TV. He took great pride in hiring some of the best news reporters, photographers and newsroom staff in the business, including Mike Dimmick, Lee Hall, Garry Moore, Mark Strauss, Jim Garrott, Christine Zak and Fraser Engerman, all of the Peoria area; NBC 5 News (Chicago) political reporter Mary Ann Ahern and photographer Mike Klingele; Tom Trucco (Chicago); John Wingate (Minneapolis); Paul Daniels (Milwaukee); Ken Killebrew (Florida); Kelly Morgan (Atlanta); Bob Tomaski (Bloomington); Paul Wheeler (Chicago); and many others.

From 1978 to 2002, Jeff was the pronouncer of the televised Scripps Spelling Bee. He loved doing the Bee and, for 24 years, he took great pride in being a part of the annual spelling competition. He was quoted as saying: "My biggest goal is to treat each student the same. We always have kids returning from previous years, but I don't want those who are there for the first time to think the veterans have any advantage. Each year, I'm amazed at these students. People ask me, 'How do you spell all those words?' It's easy for me, I just have to read the words. I would like to think that when I was in school I would have been able to compete on their level, but I'm not sure I could have. That's how impressive they are."

From 1986 to 2002, Hawkinson was national spokesperson, annual report coordinator and anchor of "Background News'' at Caterpillar Inc.

Jeff and Cathi were honored with the United Way's Hoot Gibson Award for volunteer efforts. It was the first time the award had been given to a couple. Jeff also was presented with the Salvation Army's William Booth Award for Community Service in 2005. The award is the highest civilian award given by the Salvation Army.

Jeff passed away from complications related to his rare brain disease, frontotemporal dementia. He donated his brain to Northwestern University for research in hopes of some type of medication or cure.

In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to help carry on the good works of TV-10 or the Peoria Art Guild's Fine Art Fair can give memorial donations as follows.

TV-10: Mail a gift to the Illinois State University Foundation for TV-10, Box 8000, Normal, IL 61790, or donate online at www.illinoisstatealumni.org and click on "Giving." Please note Jeff Hawkinson's name, so that the gifts are properly sent to TV-10. Peoria Art Guild: donations can be mailed to the Peoria Art Guild/Jeff Hawkinson, 203 Harrison St., Peoria, IL 61602, or donate online at www.peoriaartguild.org and click on "Donate to Peoria Art Guild."

Arrangements have been entrusted to Clary Funeral Home, 428 W. McClure Ave. in Peoria.

Jeff's memorial Web site and online condolences can be accessed at www.ClaryFunerals.com.