Elizabeth Jane Hawfield

1957 - 2025

Elizabeth Jane Hawfield

May 13, 1957 - November 11, 2025

Charlotte, North Carolina - Elizabeth Jane Hawfield, 68, of Charlotte, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on November 10, 2025, from respiratory failure. Beth was the only child of Philip Steele Hawfield and Virginia Slagle Hawfield who predeceased her. She graduated from South Mecklenburg High School and received her undergraduate degree from Queens College (now Queens University) and her master's degree from Winthrop University. While at Queens, Beth was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority and the honorary Zetetic Society.

Beth taught at the elementary level, worked in retailing with Belk Stores, and was a long-time volunteer and docent at Discovery Place and the Charlotte Museum of Nature (formerly the Nature Museum). She grew up in the countryside in what was then the Lower Providence Township of Mecklenburg County. She loved riding her beloved pony Smokey. Throughout her life, she had a succession of English Springer Spaniels as pets and in fact had a portrait painted of Lady, the most recent one, by her cousin, Lindsay Hawfield Jones.

She was a faithful supporter of organizations that preserved natural habitats and protected endangered species. In particular, she had a tender heart and assisted the Nature Museum in caring for orphaned animals, especially baby squirrels, until they could be released in the wild. One of her cousins, Amy Hawfield Watson, has a wonderful memory of attending a Discovery Place field trip to the North Carolina coast where Beth was a docent teaching the students how to seine for and identify marine wildlife.

Beth loved her family. After her father's passing, Beth was devoted to her mother, providing constant care and support throughout Virginia's life. Beth was close to numerous cousins on both sides of her parents' families. Her surviving first cousins are Gregory Dave Bryant (Vicki), David Phillips, Jr., Ben Hawfield, Jr. (Linda), Frank Erwin Hawfield, William M. Ardrey, Jr. (Catherine), Erskine Ardrey Ross (Joseph), Thomas Steele Ardrey (Peggy), Samuel Phillip Ardrey (Carroll), Joe Miller Ardrey (Marshall), Katherine Hoskins Mackey, Robert Hoskins, and Joan Plummer. She especially enjoyed visiting Greg Bryant at Christmas and other cousins in the Spruce Pine area. Beth also loved being included in the Ardrey reunions organized by Erskine Ardrey Ross. She also appreciated the numerous cards and notes of encouragement over the years from Catherine Burt Ardrey.

She was a lifelong member of Harrison United Methodist Church and demonstrated a sincere Christian faith in the conduct of her life and her dealings with other people.

Beth was the beneficiary of a successful kidney transplant 15 years ago which gave her a new lease on life. Her childhood friend, Rhonda Adams, who shared Beth's love of playing the guitar, remained loyal throughout the years as Beth's health declined. At the time of her death, Beth was a resident of The Sharon at SouthPark and made many additional friends there. In recent years, she was a regular lunch companion for her cousin, Frank Hawfield, also a resident at The Sharon.

The family would like to express gratitude to The Sharon for the kind and loving care given to Beth. In addition, we owe special thanks to Dee Thompson, Camilla Morris, and Cornelia Ray for the comfort and companionship they provided.

A funeral service for Beth will be held at Harrison United Methodist Church at 15008 Lancaster Highway, Pineville, North Carolina 28134 on Monday, November 17, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Memorials may be sent to the Charlotte Museum of Nature, c/o Discovery Place, Inc., 301 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com