Colonel William B. Hawley US Army, Retired

Born in Beckley, West Virginia, he was the last surviving child of the late John L. and Lucy Anderson Hawley, his sister, Mary and his brothers, Thomas and John having preceded him in death. A long-time resident of Florida, he and his beloved wife, Doris moved to the Indian River Colony club from Naples in 1996.

Mrs. Hawley said, “My husband loved his family, his country, his books, flowers and our cat, Mr. Blue, and he especially enjoyed life among his contemporaries here at IRCC”.

Colonel Hawley begin military service in the 150th Infantry, West Virginia National Guard, before enlisting in the Army, May 12, 1941. He was commissioned in the Infantry from Officers’ Candidate School, Fort Benning, Georgia in 1942, and was assigned to the 28th Infantry Division. He served with the Division through its campaigns in Normandy, Northern France, the Ardennes, the Rhineland and Central Europe.

Separated from the service in 1945, he entered West Virginia University. He was graduated in 1948, having been elected to Kappa Tau Alpha, academic journalism honorary, Mountain, senior men’s honorary, and having served as editor of the University newspaper, the Daily Athenaeum.

He was recalled to active duty in 1950 when the Korean War broke out. He served in Korea during that war as signal advisor to the 11th Korean Infantry Division.

He was later graduated from the Signal Officers’ Advanced Course, Fort Monmouth, NJ, the Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort McNair, Washington, DC, and from the University of Arizona, Tucson, with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Colonel Hawley also served on the Army General Staff, and the staff of the Secretary of Defense. In the course of his career, he was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal and the Purple Heart. He also won two medals from the Freedoms Foundation, Valley Forge, PA for essays he wrote about life in America. Shortly before his death, he received the Legion of Honor from the Government of France for his service in the liberation of France from the Nazis. After retiring from the Army, he worked for several years for the Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President, before moving to Florida.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Doris Jane Hawley. His family included two sons, Thomas E. Hawley and his wife, Faith, of Lorton, Virginia; William A. Hawley and his wife Carol, of Norcross, Georgia; by four grandchildren, Joshua, Dana, Alan and William; and three great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Colonel Hawley’s life will be held at the At-Ease Club, Indian River Colony Club on Sunday, July 12, 2015, at 1:00 p.m.