Lon Hawkins

Lon GaWayne Hawkins was born June 15, 1940, in El Reno, Oklahoma, the son of Clarence and Ruth Hawkins.  He was their fourth child with three older sisters, Arlene, Binny and Bunny and a foster brother, Johnnie Miller who grew up with the family.  Lon died Tuesday, December 5, 2023.  Lon graduated from Carmen, Oklahoma High School in 1958 and graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1963 with a degree in Agricultural Education.  On December 18, 1961 he married Karen Cole from Oklahoma City and they were parents to William Gregory Hawkins and Jennifer Kay Hawkins.

Following graduation he enlisted in the Navy and became a Navy Carrier Pilot flying off the US Bennington landing 300 times on that carrier doing two tours in the Vietnam War.  He served in the Navy Reserve for 23 years and retired as a Commander.

Following his tour of duty, he became a Delta Airline pilot serving for 20 years.  Upon retirement from the airlines, he and Karen returned to Cherokee, Oklahoma to resume the family farming operations where Lon raised registered Angus cattle, alfalfa, and wheat.  Deepening their roots in the community they bought a home, a motel, renovated it and subsequently bought an old service station and turned it in to a classy steakhouse with adequate space for truck parking.  Their goal was to serve people and make a difference in Cherokee.

Lon is preceded in death by his parents, C. M. and Ruth Hawkins; foster brother, Johnnie Miller, and daughter, Jennifer Kay Hawkins.

He is survived by his wife, Karen; his son, William Gregory Hawkins and wife, Mary, their children, twins, Arianna Schall; husband, Steele, Clarence Jacob Hawkins, and Daria Melton and husband, Britt (children, Bryn Case and Roselynn Kay), Jennifer Kay Hawkins’ children, Brandon Loftin, and Terry Loftin; sisters, Bunny Mosley, Binny Pearce, and Arleen Calavan.

Celebration of Life Service is at Cherokee Methodist Church on December 9, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. with burial at Cherokee Municipal Cemetery with U.S. Navy military honors. Viewing will be Friday at the funeral home 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. with family present from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.   Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Cherokee. www.lanmanfuneralhome.com   Facebook: Lanman Funeral Home Inc.

Memorials may be made to the City of Cherokee, Pocket Park, or Tunnels to Towers (TtoT).  Through Lanman Funeral Home.