Dorothy Jean Hawkins

Dorothy Jean Watkins Hawkins passed away at home under hospice care on July 10, 2016, at the age of 96. She was born April 4, 1920, and was adopted as an infant by Truman J. and Harriet E. Wickham of Bemidji, Minnesota. In 1933, she moved with her parents to Philomath, where she graduated from high school in 1937 as valedictorian. She attended Capitol Business College and worked in Salem until her marriage to R. Garvin Watkins of Philomath in 1941. They had three daughters. Garvin was killed in a logging accident in 1960. In the following years, Dorothy exhibited strength and grace as she raised her daughters while working and participating in the life of family, church and community. Even on work nights, her daughters remember seeing her on the phone in the middle of the night as a volunteer for a crisis hotline. From 1958 until 1982, she was part of the Office of International Education at OSU. She took a personal interest in students from around the world, enriching their lives and the lives of her family. Students joined the family for many meals and occasionally for a place to stay. In 1970 she married Melvin S. Hawkins of Philomath and added a new family, a new church and new position as wife of a county commissioner. They enjoyed participating in the activities of each other’s careers and in being part of each other’s families as their children married and grandchildren were born. Melvin passed away in 1993, but she continued to claim his family as hers. In every photo taken of her, Mom is smiling. She loved people and people loved her. She was a second mother to many, a beloved grandmother, a favorite aunt, a good neighbor, a faithful friend, and a memorable Sunday school, VBS and Good News Club teacher. In 2012, Dorothy and her three girls travelled to Bemidji, Minnesota, where they enjoyed meeting many new relatives discovered through genealogy research and DNA. She is survived by half-sisters, Alvina Lorentz of Vancouver, Washington, Lorraine Pemberton of Bemidji, Minnesota, Shirley Cuyler of Kingsford, Michigan, Darlene Dillon of Bemidji, Minnesota, and Dorothy Bishop of Ehrhardt, South Carolina. She is also survived by three daughters, Betty Watkins of Corvallis, Bonnie and husband Allen of Vashon, Washington, and Becky and husband Ron of Eugene; five step-children, Barb Bellin and husband Jerry of Keizer, Jan Lane and husband Lee of Eugene, Gary Hawkins of Salem, Tam Vorderstrasse and husband Vern of Portland, and John Hawkins and wife Ann Poling Hawkins of Corvallis; 13 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two half- brothers, Delyle Sunde of Portland and E. Dale Sunde of Texas. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 16 at Corvallis Evangelical Church, 1525 NW Kings Blvd., Corvallis, OR 97330. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Love INC of Benton County, 2330 NW Professional Dr., Suite 102, Corvallis, OR 97330 or Corvallis Evangelical Church.

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Dorothy Jean Hawkins

April 4, 1920 - July 10, 2016