Icie Mae-Sloan Hawkins

We are gathered today to mourn our loss of Icie Mae Hawkins. Though in our mourning, we must not let the pain of her loss make us lose sight of who she was. Loving daughter, devoted granddaughter, nurturing sister to Reagan, “hip” cousin, we all have our individual memories of her. Common among them I’m sure is a beautiful teenager who was trying to find her own path. Independent, fearless, with a loving heart, Icie was an “old soul” that looked at life in a way that you don’t often see in our youth today.

She loved music from the 60’s and 70’s and was always on the lookout for posters from that era. I’m sure her friends will tell you she knew as much about the artists from that era as those of today. She also played the guitar and was often heard singing some old ballad from years gone by. Picking on an old electric guitar given to her by her father, she had a voice that could only be described as angelic.

Icie was a giving child. One only needs to look at the last 18 months and the devotion she showed in taking care of grandmother, Jean Shepard. Giving of her time and her love, she was often at Jean’s side, assisting in one way or the other, right up to the end. Generous she was, quick to share, she would give the shoes off her feet if she thought a friend needed them more. Those of you who knew her as a friend know this to be true.

Icie, though beautiful with the sweetest of smiles, had an inner strength to her far beyond her years. She could hold her own in any discussion with anyone. If she felt strongly about something, which was often the case, she was tenacious in her support. Whether her strength came from her 10 year battle with type 1 diabetes or from the independence she showed from an early age, she was strong in spirit and would fight to defend herself when needed.

Any description of Icie would not be complete without a mention of her love of family. As with many families this one has had its struggles. Through it all, she always sought to maintain the bonds to both her parents. She loved her father and was especially close to her mother. Indeed, they shared a bond that was built through years of dealing with Icie’s health. In recent years, though they were sometimes apart, they were connected in ways only a mother and daughter would understand. The end of most days would find them reaching out to each other either by phone or text and always ended by saying “I love you Mom”.

Beautiful, thoughtful, loving and full of life…Icie’s passing will be unbearable for her family…. But the truth of it is that the loss of such a beautiful soul is a tragedy for all of us. There is no doubt that we will all struggle to understand how we came to lose such a wonderful child. Though in the painful, sorrow filled days ahead, she would want us to remember that she is in a far better place, at peace, in the loving arms of the Lord.