Wayne Alton Hawley

Wayne Alton Hawley

Wayne Alton Hawley, 81, a United Methodist pastor who grew up in Albuquerque and led churches in six states, passed away on October 2, 2025 from pulmonary fibrosis and congestive heart failure at Ascension Seton Cedar Park hospital in Cedar Park, Texas.

Wayne was born on June 22, 1944 in Dearborn, Michigan to George Olney Hawley and Frances Hawley, nee Peacock. He liked to joke that he rolled off Ford Motor Co's Dearborn assembly line. The family later moved to Albuquerque.

At age 5 Wayne received two violins from an aunt. He began lessons at age 9 and played throughout his life.

Wayne graduated from Highland High School in Albuquerque, N.M. in 1962. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois in 1966; and a master's degree in divinity from Moravian Theological Seminary in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he graduated cum laude in 1976.

Wayne served in the U.S. Army as a medic from 1968 to 1970 at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas; rising to the rank of E-5.

During his college and seminary years, Wayne served a number of churches in Kirk and Idalia, Colorado; Blanchester, Ohio; and Cumbola and Cressona, Pennsylvania. He also served as lay pastor of the Window Rock United Methodist Church in Window Rock, Arizona from 1971-72.

After his ordination as a United Methodist Church minister, Wayne served churches in Nazareth and Glendon, Pennsylvania from 1977-78; Gravel Hill UMC in Palmyra, Pennsylvania from 1978-83; the Harbor Beach and Port Hope UMCs in Michigan from 1983-1991; and North Lake UMC in Chelsea, Michigan from 1991-2001. From 2001 to 2007 he served the Grace UMC in Samaria, Michigan and the Ida, Michigan UMC.

After retiring in 2007, Wayne moved to Burnet, Texas; where he was an active member of the First Methodist Church and the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Wayne married his wife, Pamela, in 1969. He is survived by Pamela; son Christopher Hawley of Chandler, Arizona (wife Rebecca Holzer, grandchildren Gryffon and Tressa Hawley); son Scott Hawley of Austin, Texas (wife Tatem Oldham and grandchildren Eliza and Ezra); and son Jason Hawley of Everett, Wash. (wife Clare Ouyang). He is also survived by his sister, Carolyn Dunn (husband John Dunn) of Nottingham, Md.

Wayne was a loving, spiritual, humorous, curious and creative person who loved meeting people from all walks of life. He was an avid writer of fiction, a knitter, a photographer, a puppeteer, and a performer in musical groups. He performed in plays and was a natural emcee, organizing and leading events for his church and community.

Wayne saw his life as series of miracles: in his words, they were "more than coincidences, they are blessings gifts of grace from God."

Wayne donated his body to the McGovern School of Medicine in Houston. A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 23, 2025 at the First Methodist Church, 301 E. Graves Street in Burnet, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to KLRU public television at donate.austinpbs.org or the LACare Food Bank at lacareburnet.org.