William L. "Bill" Hawkins

William L. "Bill" HawkinsWilliam Lee Hawkins died peacefully in his sleep the morning of September 4, 2010.  Born December 18, 1935 in Sharpsville, Indiana to Marjorie Ruth (Wooldridge) and Lloyd Francis Hawkins.  On November 15, 1958 he married Betty Ripberger at St. John’s Catholic Church, she survives.Bill was a carpenter by trade.  His unique skills with wood were apparent in his home and many other places.  One that comes to mind is the confessional he made into a china cabinet at the St. Joseph Center.  It remains a conversation piece in the Sister’s dinning room.  The work that was his pride and joy was the restoration of Dr. Mary Compton’s home office.  Bill was proud to be a part of four generations of Hawkins woodworkers: his dad, Lloyd, Bill, his daughter Tracey and son Doug, and Doug’s children with their numerous 4-H woodworking projects.  Bill was also pleased to be the descendant of Amos Hawkins (1772-1844), whose home constructed in 1826 now stands in Ceasar’s Creek Pioneer Village near Waynsville, Ohio as “one of the finest early log structures in Ohio.”Bill loved nature and he also loved to read, mostly about history, wars, and Indian culture.  Over the years he collected arrow heads.  On his good-feeling days, the past two years have been spent building a totem pole.  He also raised exotic animals.  He raised llamas for thirty years and had acquired the name, “the llama man” from his friends.  His favorite pastime was attending exotic animal sales in Missouri twice a year with his friend “Baldy” Welcher.  Bill loved music and never tired of attending the music functions of his children and grandchildren.  His once-in-a-lifetime trip was to Australia in 2003 to visit his grand-daughter.Bill is survived by his wife, Betty of Tipton, four children, Tracey and husband Devon Wilkins of Westfield, Marianne and husband Randy Arvin of Noblesville, Katrina and husband Curt Wright of Indianapolis, and Doug and wife Antonina of Tipton.  Bill leaves 11 grandchildren; Jennifer, Jason, and Joseph Clark, Jill Gilmore, Reuben and Cheyenne Arvin, Nathaniel and Kathleen Wright, Lydia, Cassandra, and John Luke Hawkins, two great-grandchildren, Averie and Nicole.  Bill’s sister Marita Muller and husband Rich survive.  He was the beloved uncle of many nieces and nephews in Tipton.  Throughout his months of pain, he shared his hospital bed with Moon, his dog and friend.He was preceded in death by his brother, Daniel Lloyd Hawkins.Bill was very proud of his family’s generations of military service.  He served in the United States Air Force 1953-1957.  He was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church and an Associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Tipton.Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, September 9, at St. John’s Church, Tipton with Revs. Leroy Kinnaman and Keith Hosey presiding.  Burial with military rites in St. John’s Cemetery will follow.  Visitation will be Wednesday from 3-8 p.m. at Young-Nichols Funeral Home, Tipton where a wake service will take place at 7:30 p.m.Memorial donations may be made to St. Johns School, 323 Mill Street, Tipton, Indiana, 46072.