Obit: Hawks, Dorothy F. #2 (1932 - 2018)

Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Bergeron, Hawks, Keel, Lundt, Schreffler, Solomon, Tolar

----Source: The Tribune-Phonograph (Abbotsford, WI) 12/24/2018

Hawks, Dorothy “Dottie” F. (Keel) (22 DEC 1932 - 19 DEC 2018)

Dorothy “Dottie” F. Hawks (Keel) passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2018; just three days shy of her 83rd birthday at Arizona Buttes Group Home in Sun City, Ariz.

Born in Oxford, Miss., to Howard and Edith Keel on Dec. 22, 1932, Dorothy was the youngest of their four daughters, Katherine, Ruby, Flora and one younger brother Larry. At as early age, Dorothy followed her older sisters, Katherine and Flora, to Chicago. At only 18 years of age, Dorothy boarded a train and moved to Las Vegas, Nev., staying with her sister, Ruby and William Doyle. Dorothy worked as a teller in a bank where through mutual family friends met a handsome young airman from Wisconsin, Robert “Bob” Hawks. It was love at first sight. Bob and Dorothy were married on Sept. 9, 1955. Upon completion of Bob’s Air Force duty, the couple moved to Abbotsford. Bob and Dorothy had one child, Deborah Hawks Solomon. Dorothy was a mother and a career woman, working as a bookkeeper for Hutt Electric from 1956 until her retirement in 1980. Bob, always the entrepreneur, with many businesses in the Abbotsford area, but was most known as the local State Farm agent for 21 years.

Upon their retirement, Bob and Dorothy moved to Sun City, Ariz., but retirement did not suit either of them and in 1986, they started a new company, Specialty Health Products, Inc. (SHP) Bob was the inventor of several medical devices and one man sales force as Dorothy ran the office. They continued to grow, and became a well-respected International company. Bob’s brother, Dean and wife, Dorothy, (Marshfield) retired and purchased a home one house away. The brothers and the two Dorothy’s traveled and played canasta until the wee hours. The two Dorothy Hawks’ were quite a team, having been best friends since 1955.

Their retirement years were short as Bob passed in October of 1993. When their daughter, Deborah, joined Dorothy as the management team of SHP, along with 10 employees, the little family company continued to grow. After 54 years as a bookkeeper and office manager, Dorothy decided enough was enough and sold the company to Deborah in 2009. Today, SHP holds dozens of domestic and international patents and currently sells products in over 32 countries.

After five decades in an office, Dorothy took great enjoyment in her two cats, and her yard in Sun City with a variety of orange, grapefruit and one crazy lemon tree that produced lemons the size of a football. She loved watching the rabbits and quails scurry around her yard. She became very astute at chasing away the occasional coyote protecting her flock. Over the last decade, Dorothy struggled with rheumatoid arthritis, and eventually moved to a lovely group home in 2016. She used her walker, as much as she could, and eventually a wheelchair. Being the youngest member of the home, she became quite well known as the cruise director of the home, her sense of humor and compassion for her new family members.

Dorothy’s legacy continues with her daughter, Deborah Solomon of Phoenix; her sister, Flora Tolar of Chicago; two brothers-in-law, Dave (Adele) Hawks of Las Vegas, Nev., and Rodney Hawks of Curtiss; two sisters-in-law, Linda (Larry) Lundt of Clintonville and Shirley (Bill) Schreffler of Stanley; along with a host of nieces and nephews; and her cat, Bitz, who now resides with Deborah.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and three siblings, Katherine, Ruby and Larry.

There will be a visitation held for family and friends on Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018, from 5–8 p.m. at Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home, 203 N. 4th Street, in Abbotsford. A 10 a.m. funeral service to honor her life will be held on Friday, Dec. 28, at Maurina-Schilling Funeral Home. The service will be presided by pastor and long-time friends, Joe and SuDonna Bergeron of Sun City, Ariz. Music will be provided and greatly appreciated by the Dean and Dorothy Hawks family of Marshfield. Committal service will be held at Marshfield Hillside Cemetery.