John William Hawkins

John William Hawkins (1926-2015) John William (Jack) Hawkins, 89, of Hilton Head Island, SC, died peacefully and surrounded by his wife and niece, on the eve of Veteran's Day at Victory House Veterans Home in Walterboro, SC. He was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on the 28th day of February, 1926 to Willis Gail Hawkins and Eleanor Eakins Hawkins. Jack's love of singing began when he sang in the Trinity Episcopal Church Choir in Tulsa, OK. Jack received a freshman scholarship to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA and entered as a 17 year old freshman in June, 1943. Jack was drafted into the Navy and served his country in active duty for two years, while suspending his studies at MIT. After an honorable discharge, Jack chose to finish his education at MIT and graduated in 1948 with a B.S. in Business and Engineering Administration. During his senior year at MIT he met his first wife, Nanci Greene, and they were married in 1948 and raised four children. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, and organized and attended reunions up until the last few years of his life. Jack worked for Sun Oil, Co. both in Tulsa, OK and Philadelphia, PA from 1948-1982. Jack was a charter member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers and at age 37 taught an adult education class for two years entitled "Realize Your Potential", from which he developed a series of essays. After he retired, Jack and his son, Tom Hawkins, co-founded Integrated Micro Systems in Tulsa, OK in 1983, with Tom running this computer consulting business from 1988 until his death in 2013. Jack and Nanci moved to Hilton Head Island in 1989, where they built their dream home in Palmetto Dunes, and where Jack served as Treasurer and was on the Board of Directors for many years for the Homeowner's Association. He also completed the four-year Education for Ministry (EFM) program at All Saints Episcopal Church and stayed active in the group after graduation. He was also a member of Hilton Head's Barbershop Quartet. Additionally, Jack assisted in the formation of a local chapter of Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), which counsels small businesses or those seeking to start a business, and served as SCORE's Chairman and on the Executive Committee for many years, even designing their website. Jack met his second wife, Irene Schmidt, through a matchmaker friend at SCORE, and they married in 2005. The couple lived in Sun City, SC until 2013, when they moved to The Seabrook on Hilton Head Island, SC. Jack's other love, besides Irene, beer and Klondikes, was writing and he published 2 books, entitled, "What Manner of Man Is This" and "My Philosophy". Jack was what one would call a gentleman and a scholar and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. Jack was predeceased by his first wife of 54 years, Nanci Greene of Hilton Head Island, SC and his son, Thomas W. Hawkins of Tulsa, OK. He is survived by his wife, Irene S. Hawkins of Hilton Head Island, SC; his daughter, Elizabeth A. Blakeman (Eric) of Houston, TX; his son, John G. Hawkins (Hollie) of Tulsa, OK; and his daughter, Nanci G. Yadon (Robert) of Broken Arrow, OK. Jack always said he had 10 grandchildren, including Irene's seven, but was only Opa to his much beloved grandchildren, Zachary, Adam and Meredith (Grant). Jack also leaves behind a special niece by marriage, Jodi Ernest, and her parents Elaine (the matchmaker) and Harvey Ernest, of Greensboro, NC, along with many step-children, step-grandchildren, MIT, SAE, and high-school friends. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, June 20, 2015 at All Saints Episcopal Church, Hilton Head Island, SC, with a reception to immediately follow at All Saints where the family will receive friends. Funeral arrangements will be handled by Sauls Funeral Home, Bluffton, SC. In lieu of flowers, Memorial Donations may be made to All Saints Episcopal Church, 3001 Meeting Street, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926.