Sheldon R. "Hawk" Hawkins

Hawk was a WWII veteran stationed in the Asiatic Pacific Theatre. He married Ruth Tinkler, a lovely young teacher he had met in Lubbock when he was stationed at Reese Air Force Base. They were married before his deployment to the Pacific and he returned home safely to his young bride after the war. Hawk was honorably discharged to civilian life in 1946. He studied petroleum engineering and began his 40 year career with Dresser Industries, Ideco division. Sheldon Jr. was born in 1947. Tragically, Ruth became ill with polio and died before her son’s second birthday.

Hawk’s work for Ideco kept him busy traveling throughout South America, Mexico and the U.S, so his son lived with his Grandmother Ola and his Aunt Mary for the next four years. It was on one of his regular business trips on Braniff Airlines that Hawk met a beautiful young stewardess named Dell. Hawk eventually convinced her to go out with him after several trips. Dell later admitted that in spite of her apparent reluctance to date a passenger, she really had fallen in love with Hawk at first sight. They had a whirlwind romance and he soon proposed to her at White Rock Lake in Dallas. They were married October 30, 1952. Dell quit her job at Braniff and she and Hawk settled down to raise a family in Arlington, Texas. Daughter Lynette was born in November 1953 and soon after, Ideco transferred Hawk and his family to Florence, Italy. In December 1956, Bonnie Cathleen was born.

Over the next 16 years Hawk and family lived in Paris, Rome, Tripoli, and London. His work took him throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East , and Russia. He made friends everywhere he went and maintained lifelong correspondence with colleagues, customers and friends he had met all over the world. Although he missed his family, he really enjoyed his work and travelling to so many different parts of the world. He learned as much as he could about the culture, language, and cuisine of each country he visited. When Hawk was home, he would take his family on weekend excursions to delightful towns in Italy and France. He loved scouting for great restaurants off the beaten track.

Hawk returned to the US, to Houston in 1974. Dell became ill with multiple sclerosis. When Hawk retired from Ideco in 1984, he became Dell’s fulltime caretaker. He took complete care of her patiently, lovingly, and devotely until she passed away February 26, 2002. Hawk’s only recreation was golf, which he enjoyed immensely and he was very proud of his numerous “holes in one”. He made some wonderful life long friends at the golf course with whom he played regularly. He allowed himself to play once a week, but always made sure he was home by noon to prepare his Dell’s lunch. Hawk also enjoyed gardening and maintained an organic garden for many years. He and Dell enjoyed backyard bird watching together so Hawk planted bushes and flowers that attracted hummingbirds. He moved in with his daughter Lynette when Dell became so ill she had to go into St Dominic’s Nursing Home. Devastated that he could no longer live with and take care of his beloved Dell, Hawk still spent every day with her, arriving at 8:00 in the morning and staying until 6:00 in the evening. He would read her favorite books to her.

After Dell’s death, Hawk suffered a stroke. Fortunately he recovered completely, but he no longer had any desire to play golf. Instead, he enjoyed sitting on the front porch and watching the hummingbirds or reading in the sun. He made friends with all his new neighbors on his daily walks and loved going to his daughter’s restaurant everyday for lunch and a glass of his favorite Chianti.

Hawk was a generous, kind, honorable, dutiful, loyal and loving husband, father, friend and citizen his entire life. And although he experienced many difficulties, tragedies, and losses, Hawk remained steadfast in his optimism, happiness and faith throughout.

He was born in Seattle, Washington on Friday, September 12, 1919, to F.W. Hawkins and Anna Holmes Hawkins.

Hawk retired from Dresser Industries, IDECO Division after more than 40 years of service. He enjoyed his membership in the NOMADS, was a veteran of World War II and an avid golfer.

Left to cherish his memory are his children, Bonnie Cathleen and husband William Dacier of Phoenix, Arizona, Lynette Hawkins of Houston, Texas, and Sheldon R. Hawkins, Jr. and wife Margie of Dallas, Texas. Hawk is also survived by his loving grandchildren, Timothy Hawkins, Samuel Hawkins and wife Jetta and their children Luke, Sarah and Scarlet, Regina and husband Kevin Miller and their children Jake, Ruby and Brady, Melissa and husband Ru Patel and their daughter, Ryleigh, by his sisters, Sally and husband William Service, Jacquie and husband Glenn Jones, all of California, and by his sister-in-law, Donna Pon Tell of California.

The family will receive friends one hour prior to the funeral service that begins at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, 2010, in the chapel of Waltrip Funeral Directors with Reverend M. Eugene Vickrey officiating.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions to the Multiple Sclerosis Society or the Houston SPCA.