Samuel Pinckney Hawes III

Samuel Pinckney Hawes III, MD, known as “Hank” to many loved ones, beloved husband, father grandfather and friend passed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at the age of 84, after fighting a long illness.

Born in Conway, South Carolina, on May 2, 1941, Sam grew up rooted in a close-knit community that shaped his values of kindness, humility, and dedication. He graduated from Conway High School before attending Davidson College, where he was in the Kappa Sigma fraternity, earning his degree in 1963. Committed to a life of service, he received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University in 1967.

Following medical school, Sam completed an internship in surgery at the University of Virginia from 1967 to 1969. He then served his country with honor as a Major in the United States Air Force from 1969 to 1971. After his military service, he pursued a urology residency at Duke University from 1971 to 1975. Upon completion, he joined the Hawes Urology Clinic—now Urology Specialists of the Carolinas—where he cared for patients with compassion and skill until his retirement in 2001.

He will be remembered first and foremost as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. Sam was an avid saltwater fisherman, an enthusiastic amateur radio operator, a dedicated youth baseball coach, and a passionate bluegrass musician who enjoyed playing both guitar and banjo. He carried an unmatchable sense of humor that lightened every room he entered, and he approached each of his interests with joy, curiosity, and warmth.

Most importantly, the thing he would want to be remembered for above all else was his love for Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior, with whom he is rejoicing at this very moment. His faith shaped every aspect of his life and stands as his greatest legacy.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Lorene Downs Hawes; his sister, Louise H. DeLoach (Harris); and his children, Samuel P. Hawes IV (Elizabeth), Matthew H. Hawes (Cathy), Wilson B. Hawes (Dana), Erica B. Queen (Matt), and A. Lake Bumgarner. He was a proud grandfather to Catherine, Wilson, Matthew, Benjamin, Elijah, Madelynn, and James.

A private family ceremony will be held, during which his ashes will be dispersed in the ocean at the sea buoy on the outgoing tide.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Wounded Warrior Project, or the charity of your choice.