Jay N. Hawthorne

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto of sorts. But for Jay Hawthorne, it summarized his very essence. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

Jay was born on September 9, 1958. He first greeted the world in Lincoln, NE at the Lincoln General Hospital. He was the son of Lawrence & Georgia Hawthorne and he grew up in Omaha, NE. He was raised with a younger brother, Jeff. Jay experienced all sorts of new things while growing up. He was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy, conscientious, responsible and punctual. These traits helped guide him throughout life’s journey.

As a young boy, Jay was always aware of how others around him felt, and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, he was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if he was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Jay had the ability to relate well to his family and friends.

Growing up, Jay was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. He was content to entertain himself for the most part. He was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, he was simply able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. He took part in a number of activities as a child. He liked to understand the nature of things, so if he got involved in something, he was fully committed. He enjoyed playing baseball, golf, and bowling. Some of Jay's biggest accomplishments during this time included winning the Pine Wood Derby with the Cub Scouts.

Most folks would say that Jay was shy until they got to know him. Those who were privileged to know him well learned that he was a solid, good friend. Jay was reluctant to generalize about people, and he based his friendships on his personal experiences.

Jay enjoyed learning immensely. He always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. He was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. He often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, he took painstaking care to be accurate in each of his endeavors. All of these abilities culminated in a successful high school career. He graduated from Westside High School in1976.

While school was an important part of these teen years, Jay realized that there was more to life than what was going on in the classroom.

Jay was a good judge of character, but did not judge others. He was concerned about how those around him felt, and he always seemed to bring out the positive side of people. He could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. In short, the friends who he made, he kept. Jay loved all of his pets, a Terrier named Jack in Jay’s childhood, Kilts a Westie for twelve years, Sugar a Westie for thirteen years and Jack a Chihuahua to present.

Love can’t be defined or put in a box, but must be experienced. That was absolutely true for Jay, especially when he met Diana Lea Stone.

He exchanged vows with Dee Dee on June 13, 1997. The wedding took place on the beach in Maui, Hawaii.

He was totally committed to Dee Dee and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Jay naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. That was just one reason why it was fairly easy for the couple to bring their old friends together and to even make a many new ones.

Although he disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times. This was important to him as he did his best to make everywhere they lived feel like home.

Jay was active in the community. He was practical and grounded and based his decisions on first-hand experience. He was responsible and liked working to achieve results rather than just chattering about possibilities. Jay was a member of several community groups. Due to his excellent organizational skills, Jay was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which he belonged. He could bring established, successful methods to the table, along with a generous helping of common sense. He was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details.

Jay was a good father. He had old-fashioned parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because he trusted emotions, he was reluctant to force issues and generally used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way he seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around him, always thinking before acting. In addition, he was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around him might be, he seemed to know and keep track of everyone’s schedule. Jay had three children, Son: Joshua Hawthorne, Daughters Kelly & Paige Stone. He would often find himself beaming with pride over the things his children accomplished. Later on, he was blessed with a daughter in law Chauntee and a Grandson, Austin Hawthorne.

Jay worked hard to give his children a warm and nurturing environment in which to grow up.

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Jay experienced smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that he was the trip planner. He would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. He immensely enjoyed those family vacations.

Later on, he was also blessed with one Grandson, Austin Hawthorne.

His primary occupation could be described as working at an Anesthesia Care Specialist as the Business Manager. Jay worked over twenty years at AMC Theatres in Omaha & over ten years at Anesthesia Care Specialists. During that time, Jay excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp ideas to organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. In addition, he was considerate when it came to listening to what others had to say. Jay had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties. If you gave Jay a deadline, he would meet it. At work, he was always on task. He could adhere to any assignment without hesitation and see it through to completion.

Jay liked to experience things first-hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced his choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient person, he preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to enjoy his hobbies. Some of his favorite pastimes included golf, bowling & and he was a sports advocate.

Jay enjoyed all kinds of things in his life. Jay's favorite vacation destinations were Myrtle Beach, SC, Hawaii, San Diego, CA, Minnesota, Newsite, MS (Parents Boat) and Catalina, CA as a child to see his grandparents.

While thorough and measured in his approach to things, Jay often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was the same way with sports such as golf, bowling & softball. He was able to get a hole in one in his golf game, he also had two 300 games in bowling. He enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. He also enjoyed watching his favorite teams and events whenever he got the opportunity; some teams included New York Yankee Baseball, Chicago Bears & Nebraska Cornhusker's Football and Golf.

An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, his faith was important to Jay. His compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others were an outgrowth of his personal beliefs. Jay was a fourteen-year member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Papillion, NE.

As Jay looked forward to retirement, he tried his best to be well-prepared. He had taken the time to learn about his various options and chose his course wisely. Jay was named "Neighbor of the week" in the Bellevue Leader, also involved in the Quakes girls’ softball organization and the "Elite Brotherhood of the Coinage".

Jay Hawthorne left us on June 24th, 2011. He passed away at Midlands hospital, Papillion, NE. He was 52 years old. He is survived by wife Dee Dee, son Joshua (wife Chauntee), daughters Kelly & Paige, and grandson Austin, parents Lawrence & Georgia Hawthorne, brother Jeff (wife Joan), and much more family. Services were handled by Kahler -Dolce Mortuary, Papillion, NE. Jay was laid to rest at St. John's Cemetery, Bellevue, NE.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. However, Jay was able to focus on each individual tree and tend to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Jay was a trustworthy, intelligent, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Jay was a great man. He will be missed.