Donald Hawkins

Donald David Hawkins was born on July 13, 1918 in Rudyard, Montana to Cloyd and Ruth (Afflerbough) Hawkins. As a three-month old infant, Don moved with his family from Montana to settle in rural Osakis and he attended and graduated from Osakis High School in 1936. He first worked for the Railroad and then moved to California in 1939. He married Hazel Hanson in Las Vegas, NV on May 10, 1941. Don served his country during WWII in the US Navy as a flight instructor and also doing airplane maintenance. After the service, Don and Hazel lived in Nelson, MN and Don drove milk truck for the Nelson Creamery. He also ran a filling station in Nelson with his brother, Roger and then operated a Phillips 66 station in Minneapolis. In 1958 Don and Hazel moved back to Riverside, CA and Don worked for Rohr Aircraft as a mechanic. Later he worked as a foreign cars parts manager for D & E Autos. They raised a family of five children and retired and moved to Osakis in 1980. Hazel passed away that same year. On October 20, 1984, Don married Elaine (Cooper) Albrecht at Fahlun Lutheran Church in rural Nelson.
Don volunteered his retirement years helping senior citizens in many different capacities. He volunteered at the Osakis Senior Citizen center, as a lay pastor for Gideon, as a 55 Alive trainer and for the Tax Assistance Program doing income tax preparations for senior citizens. Don was a member of the Fahlun Lutheran church and held bible studies for years. He was a member of the American Veterans, the AARP and the Douglas County Community on Aging. In addition to his time volunteering, Don enjoyed playing cards, watching nature, (especially birds at his feeder) and traveling to visit his many children, grandchildren and relatives. He was a kind and caring man who will be dearly missed by his family and many friends.
Don is survived by his children, Colin Hawkins of Riverside, CA and Kim Marsden of Borrego Springs, CA; 6 grandchildren; 3 great grandchildren; daughters-in-law, Nancy Hawkins of Riverside, CA and Lesley Hawkins of Ames, IA; a son-in-law, Eldon Anderson of Stratford, IA; brothers, Max (Bea) Hawkins of Livingston, MT, Richard Hawkins of Osakis and Ladd (Marlys) Hawkins of Remer; sisters, Dorothy Hartman and Gladys (Lloyd) Campbell, both of Hemet, CA; sisters-in-law, Delores Hawkins of Osakis and Edna Hawkins of Minneapolis; many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, his wives, Hazel in 1980 and Elaine in 2007, a daughter, Sharon Anderson and two sons, David and Mark Hawkins, two brothers, Glenn and Roger Hawkins.