Michael William Hawley

1943 - 2021

Michael William Hawley
Hendersonville—Michael William Hawley, 77, of Hendersonville, NC, formerly of Spruce Pine, NC, and Lumberton, NC, took his last breath on August 21, 2021.
Mike was born into an Air Force family during World War II on October 3, 1943 to Col. John N. Hawley and Wilma "Willie" Hawley. He was the oldest of three wild boys and spent his childhood in Bermuda, Texas, and North Platte, NE; his early adolescence in Fort Bragg, NC, and Taiwan; and graduated from Fayetteville High School in Fayetteville, NC. His outgoing personality and love of adventure led him to friends in high school who introduced him to sky diving. They'd pack their own parachutes and pay off-duty pilots to take them up on jumps on the weekend. His love of adventure would become a lifelong pursuit.
He attended Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, NC, but preferred to do most of his learning outside the classroom. He spent his early adulthood working in sales, then Amtrak, and later for the National Enquirer. His keen observational skills, common sense, and love of working with people eventually led him to work as a heavy equipment operator with various construction companies in the D.C. area. After moving back to Lumberton, NC to help take care of his mother, he couldn't find much construction work, so he started a sandwich truck which he drove around to local car shops and dealerships. He entertained with stories while selling breakfast sandwiches, and through talking with auto mechanics he encountered, he learned how to rebuild an engine on an old pick-up truck of his. His ability to connect with people and learn practical skills was a strength he used throughout life.
He was a proud, devoted father to his only daughter and shared his love of the outdoors, camping, cooking, surf fishing, and swimming with her. He never had much money but taught his daughter one of the most important lessons in life: you don't need a lot of money to have fun, all you need is an adventurous spirit.
He was a character who wanted to make everyone around him comfortable and could easily pass time telling wild and hilarious stories. When not seeking his own life experiences he loved learning about world and U.S. history and enjoyed entertaining those around him with stories of famous characters of years past. He always wove in lessons we all could learn from history. His wit was sharp, his one-liners were endlessly creative, and he never missed a beat to crack a joke, often yelling, "drive reckless!" when parting ways.
His life was not always easy but he never missed an opportunity to try and see the sunny side of things, and when the sunny side wasn't there, to learn from the set-back. He suffered a stroke in 2014 and it was not clear if he would ever walk again. Through grit and an indomitable spirit, he did. In 2018, just a few months before his daughter was to be married, it was discovered he had massive blockages in his heart and had to have quintuple bypass surgery. Just 11 weeks out from open heart surgery, he walked his daughter down the aisle. He wasted no time dwelling on hardships and took pride in his resilience and ability to overcome every hurdle life threw his way with some new-found wisdom and strength.
He leaves behind a brother, Richard G. Hawley of Wallburg, NC; a daughter, Brie Hawley Blackley, son in law, David J. Blackley, and two grandsons of Morgantown, WV; and former wives Barbara (Hawley) Bortz of Burke, VA, and Gwen Hefner Hawley of Glassboro, NJ.
He was preceded in death by his brother, John P. Hawley, and parents Col. John N. Hawley USAF and Wilma Immogean "Willie" Hawley.
He hated funerals and in keeping with his wishes, no funeral service is planned. A celebration of his life is planned with friends and family. Condolences can be left at: https://www.shulerfuneralhome.com/obituary/michael-william-hawley/