Robert Lewis Hawkins

Robert Lewis Hawkins, III, passed from this life on November 30, 2025 in Nashville,
Tennessee, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on April 7, 1951 and grew up
in Monroe City, Missouri until the family moved to Jefferson City, where he attended
grade through high school. He attended Westminster College as did his father,
grandfather, and son.
As a young man, Bob played in several bands before attending Law School at the
University of Missouri. He subsequently practiced law both with his father and at his
own firm before serving as the director of historic sites in Biloxi, Mississippi, and
Redlands, California. After moving to Tennessee, he worked for the Social Security
Administration before retirement.
Bob was an enthusiastic student of Missouri history and worked on many projects to
preserve Missouri historic sites, most notably renovations of the Marmaduke House in
Jefferson City and the burial of Jesse James in Kearney, Missouri.
He is survived by his wife Jeanne, his sons Rob (Lynn Fingerhut) and Ben, grandsons
Henry and Clayton, good friend of the family Calvin Richins, and granddaughters by
marriage Emmie and Elle Brooks and Savannah Kiernon, as well as the mother of his
sons, Susan Hawkins, his sister Katherine Letterman (Greg, deceased), beloved nieces
Elizabeth Gerken (Gregg) and Katie Haney (Mike), and their children. Bob was
predeceased by his parents, Robert Lewis Hawkins, Jr. and Elizabeth Hunter Hawkins,
and his sister Barbara Hawkins (Chester Sullivan).
Services will be held at St. Jude's Episcopal Church in Monroe City, Missouri, at noon
on Saturday, December 13 th .
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Missouri Historical Society
in Bob's name. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Garner Funeral Home & Chapel, Monroe City, Missouri. Online condolences can be made at garnerfuneralchapel.com.