Obituary for Gertie Mae Hawkes
“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch angel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” I Thessalonians 3:13-16
As it has pleased the Almighty God in His infinite wisdom to release from our midst a beloved mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, relative and friend, we bow in humble submission to His will, knowing that His will must be done. Sister Gertie Mae Branch Hawkes departed this life on Sunday, August 19, 2012 at Golden Living Center-Battlefield Park, Petersburg, VA after a brief illness.
Gertie Mae Branch Hawkes was born to the late Houston and Clara Branch on November 20, 1931, along with four siblings in which three preceded her in death, Edward Branch, Horace Davis, and Dorothy Stokes.
She attended Nottoway Training School, Nottoway, VA and graduated from Luther H. Foster High School the first graduating class in 1950. She was very creative, loved sewing, fishing, and making her family look good everywhere they traveled. She was a no-nonsense person and freely spoke her mind.
On December 8, 1952, she married the late Lincoln Travis Hawkes (preceded her in death on March 18, 2012) and to this union five children were born. Their son, Gerald A. Hawkes, preceded them in death.
She was baptized in a pool outside and joined the Mt. Gazerine Baptist Church, Blackstone, VA at an early age. She insured her family worshipped together on 2nd and 4th Sundays, attended Poplar Lawn Baptist Church with her husband on many occasions, especially during homecoming. She attended church until her health started to decline. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, great aunt, cousin, and friend. She and Lincoln have left a great legacy and influence on their family and touched each of them in a special way.
Gertie worked on various jobs and retired from Brown and Williamson, Inc., Petersburg, VA before their closure. In 1970, she had enough of working outside the home and became a domestic engineer where she took care of her husband, children, grandchildren and enjoyed her great-grandchildren until her health started declining.
Left to cherish her memories, four devoted daughters, Glennis Marshall (Howard), Zelma Sheppard (Robert) and Brenda Jo Walton (Roderick) all of Petersburg, VA and Janice Hawkes of Blackstone, VA; eleven grandchildren, Jayfonia Deloatch (James) of Stafford, VA, Travirus (Leo) Thompson of Newport News, VA, Howard J. Marshall, Jr., Gerrod (Rod) Thompson, A’Darryl (AJ) Marshall, Jayne’ Marshall, Eric (Ric) Sheppard, Delbria and Ashleigh Walton all of Petersburg, VA and Tremayne and Adrian Hawkes of Blackstone, VA; seven great grandchildren, Demontae Stewart, Justin Thompson, Alijah and Alexander Deloatch, Samiara Hawkes, Layla Crawley, and Jeremy A. Raines, Jr. (newborn); one sister, Bernice Foster of Blackstone, VA; one aunt, Lula Branch of Wilsons, VA; sisters-in-law, Pollie Hawkes of Wilmington, DE, Evelyn Johnson of Wilsons, VA and Alice Hawkes of Blackstone, VA; two brothers-in-law, Webster Hawkes of Richmond, VA and Adolphus Hawkes of Blackstone, VA, a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends (one dependable friend/handyman, Mr. James Holmes).
A funeral service for Mrs. Gertie M. Hawkes will be held 1:00 P.M., Friday, August 24, 2012 at Mt. Gazerine Baptist Church, 3676 Kenbridge Road, Blackstone, VA, 23824, Rev. Irene Allen, Officiating and Rev. Leroy Mitchell, Eulogist. The interment will follow at Poplar Lawn Baptist Church Cemetery, 465 Poplar Lawn Rd., Blackstone, VA, 23824.
Mrs. Hawkes may be viewed at the W. E. Hawkes & Son Funeral Home, 504 East Street, Blackstone, VA on Wednesday, August 22, 2012.
Read More
As it has pleased the Almighty God in His infinite wisdom to release from our midst a beloved mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, relative and friend, we bow in humble submission to His will, knowing that His will must be done. Sister Gertie Mae Branch Hawkes departed this life on Sunday, August 19, 2012 at Golden Living Center-Battlefield Park, Petersburg, VA after a brief illness.
Gertie Mae Branch Hawkes was born to the late Houston and Clara Branch on November 20, 1931, along with four siblings in which three preceded her in death, Edward Branch, Horace Davis, and Dorothy Stokes.
She attended Nottoway Training School, Nottoway, VA and graduated from Luther H. Foster High School the first graduating class in 1950. She was very creative, loved sewing, fishing, and making her family look good everywhere they traveled. She was a no-nonsense person and freely spoke her mind.
On December 8, 1952, she married the late Lincoln Travis Hawkes (preceded her in death on March 18, 2012) and to this union five children were born. Their son, Gerald A. Hawkes, preceded them in death.
She was baptized in a pool outside and joined the Mt. Gazerine Baptist Church, Blackstone, VA at an early age. She insured her family worshipped together on 2nd and 4th Sundays, attended Poplar Lawn Baptist Church with her husband on many occasions, especially during homecoming. She attended church until her health started to decline. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, great aunt, cousin, and friend. She and Lincoln have left a great legacy and influence on their family and touched each of them in a special way.
Gertie worked on various jobs and retired from Brown and Williamson, Inc., Petersburg, VA before their closure. In 1970, she had enough of working outside the home and became a domestic engineer where she took care of her husband, children, grandchildren and enjoyed her great-grandchildren until her health started declining.
Left to cherish her memories, four devoted daughters, Glennis Marshall (Howard), Zelma Sheppard (Robert) and Brenda Jo Walton (Roderick) all of Petersburg, VA and Janice Hawkes of Blackstone, VA; eleven grandchildren, Jayfonia Deloatch (James) of Stafford, VA, Travirus (Leo) Thompson of Newport News, VA, Howard J. Marshall, Jr., Gerrod (Rod) Thompson, A’Darryl (AJ) Marshall, Jayne’ Marshall, Eric (Ric) Sheppard, Delbria and Ashleigh Walton all of Petersburg, VA and Tremayne and Adrian Hawkes of Blackstone, VA; seven great grandchildren, Demontae Stewart, Justin Thompson, Alijah and Alexander Deloatch, Samiara Hawkes, Layla Crawley, and Jeremy A. Raines, Jr. (newborn); one sister, Bernice Foster of Blackstone, VA; one aunt, Lula Branch of Wilsons, VA; sisters-in-law, Pollie Hawkes of Wilmington, DE, Evelyn Johnson of Wilsons, VA and Alice Hawkes of Blackstone, VA; two brothers-in-law, Webster Hawkes of Richmond, VA and Adolphus Hawkes of Blackstone, VA, a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends (one dependable friend/handyman, Mr. James Holmes).
A funeral service for Mrs. Gertie M. Hawkes will be held 1:00 P.M., Friday, August 24, 2012 at Mt. Gazerine Baptist Church, 3676 Kenbridge Road, Blackstone, VA, 23824, Rev. Irene Allen, Officiating and Rev. Leroy Mitchell, Eulogist. The interment will follow at Poplar Lawn Baptist Church Cemetery, 465 Poplar Lawn Rd., Blackstone, VA, 23824.
Mrs. Hawkes may be viewed at the W. E. Hawkes & Son Funeral Home, 504 East Street, Blackstone, VA on Wednesday, August 22, 2012.
To plant a tree in memory of Gertie Mae Hawkes, visit the Tribute Store.
Loading...