Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Hawkins, William

William A. Hawkins

Services: Have been held.

Mr. William A. “Willie” Hawkins, 84, of Portales, died Thursday, March 17, 2005, at Heartland Continuing Care Center in Portales.

He was born on July 29, 1920, in Ardmore, Okla., to Eula Pearl and George Washington Hawkins.

He attended college in Portales. After about a year he went to work for the railroad as a fireman. He progressed to engineer and eventually was promoted to the position of Road Foreman of Engineers in northern Arizona. He married Pearl Fay Stirman on July 20, 1940, in Portales.

He entered the Army in 1944 and served in the Philippines until the end of World War II. He returned to Gallup where he made his home until 1972 when he transferred to Winslow, Ariz.

He was a member of the BLF&E union. While living in Gallup he and the other train employees raised money each year for the March of Dimes by setting up a model train downtown. He returned to Portales in 1992.

Family members said he enjoyed camping, fishing and hunting.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Wallis Hawkins and John Hawkins; two sisters, Avis Simpson and Annie Eddie Goode; a daughter, Alaine Downing; and his wife.

Survivors include two sons, William “Bud” Hawkins Jr. (and wife, Violet) of Park City, Utah, and Patrick Hawkins of Coaldale, Colo.; a daughter, Nettie Hawkins of Garland, Texas; six grandchildren, Lea Jones, Lisa Marbury, Sara Downing, Kenneth Hawkins, Kristen Martin and Allan Downing; three great grandchildren, Caitlyn Jones, Ryan Downing and Summer Jones; a brother, Paul T. Hawkins of Santa Rosa, Calif.; a sister, Lauranette Mason of Muleshoe; a son-in-law, Charles I. Downing of Albuquerque; and a brother-in-law, Hank Hankins of Portales.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.