John L. Hawkins

John L. Hawkins, 82, of Beattie, Kan., died March 1, 2019 at Lincoln, Neb. Visitation is Thursday, March 7, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Kinsley Mortuary in Marysville.  The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, March 8 at the Beattie United Methodist Church.  Rev. Jim Akins will officiate.  Darleen Porting will play the organ and Kelsey Goodwin will be the vocalist.  Music will include "In the Garden", "How Great Thou Art" and "Old Rugged Cross". The pallbearers will be Ben Hawkins, Kevin Hawkins, Mark Hawkins, Cody Dannar, Todd Hawkins, Rick Hawkins and Jim Hawkins. The honorary pallbearers will be John Runnebaum, Doug O’Neil, Stanley Hasenkamp, Kenny Koch, Chuck Marquardt and Todd Sandmann. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery, Axtell. John was born November 4, 1936, at Axtell, to Fountain and Rachael (Rogers) Hawkins.  He was a proud 1955 Axtell High School graduate and loved spending time with his classmates. On July 14, 1957, he married LaNea M. Smith at Salem Lutheran Church near Axtell.  They lived in Maryland while John served in the U.S. Army.  After his discharge, they lived in Seneca for a short time before moving to Marysville. John worked at Montgomery Ward in Marysville before moving to a farm east of Beattie in 1965, where he farmed and operated a dairy. He was an avid Marysville sports and Kansas basketball fan.  He loved taking his family on vacations.  He passed this tradition down by spending time camping and fishing with his grandsons.  His grandsons and great-grandchildren were his pride and joy. John traveled many miles and attended countless hours at local auctions.  Later in life, he attended area dances with his friend, Donna.  John never let the “grass grow under his feet” and could be met on the highway in his truck going to his “next adventure”. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, LaNea; and son, Gary in 1976; sister, Norma Lee Hirt; and brother, Harold Hawkins. Survivors include his son, Dennis (Rhonda) Hawkins, Beattie; daughter, Judy (Everette) Dannar, Overbrook, Kan.; brothers, Clayton Hawkins, Topeka, and Dayton Hawkins, Carbondale, Kan.; four grandchildren, Ben (Amanda) Hawkins, Kevin Hawkins, Mark Hawkins and Cody Dannar; great-grand twins, Charli and Daniel Hawkins; and special friend, Donna Graham, Barneston, Neb. A memorial fund has been established and will be designated later.  Contributions may be sent in care of Kinsley Mortuary. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John L. Hawkins, please visit our flower store.