Mr. Roy Hawkins, Sr.

It is with heartfelt sorrow that the management and staff of Mitchell-Josey Funeral Home, Inc. announces the passing of Mr. Roy Hawkins, Sr.  Mr. Hawkins was the husband of Deacon Bessie Hawkins.  Mr. Hawkins transitioned on Thursday evening, November 26th in a Florence hospital.

Funeral service will be 2:00PM on Thursday, December 3, 2020 in the Church Yard of Flat Creek Baptist Church. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. 

Obituary 

Mr. Roy Lester Hawkins, Sr. was born in Hartsville, SC on February 4, 1949 son of the late Willie "Bill" Hawkins and Mamie Smith Hawkins.  He transitioned to his heavenly home on Thursday, November 26, 2020 at McLeod Regional Medical Center, Florence, SC.  

 He received his formal education in the Darlington County Public School System graduating from Butler High School Class of 1967.  After graduation he attended Florence-Darlington Technical College and majored in welding.  He served his Country in the United States Army for 2 years as a cook. After his tenure he was honorably discharged.  Roy was the primary caretaker for his mother and worked various occupations such as driving cabs and school buses for Darlington County and working at Galey and Lord (Society Hill, SC), where he met his beloved wife, Bessie T. Hawkins of 39 years.  He cherished his relationships with his three sons, Ladrone Coe, Casey Hawkins and Roy Hawkins Jr.

Originally, he was a member of Ousleydale Baptist Church and after marriage he became a member of Flat Creek Baptist Church. He served in the Men’s Choir, Usher Board, Kitchen Ministry and as a Trustee of the church. 

In his leisure, Roy enjoyed watching sports ranging from baseball, basketball, and football. His favorite football team was The Washington Redskins, which he enjoyed watching each time they played. Roy also played baseball as a young adult and enjoyed teaching his sons to play different sports as they grew up.

Roy was preceded in death by: his parents, Mamie and Willie "Bill" Hawkins; his sisters: Marguree Saliim, Dorothy Evans; his brothers: Willie N. Hawkins, Eugene Hawkins and his son, Casey A. Hawkins.

Those left to cherish his precious memory are:  his wife, Bessie Tedder Hawkins of the home; his two sons: Ladrone Coe of Darlington, SC and Roy Hawkins, Jr. (Chelsea "fiancée) of Durham, NC; one grandchild, Ladrone Coe, Jr. "L.J" of Darlington, SC; sisters: Berneatha Blackwell of Washington, DC, Alma Hayes of Princeton, WV and Evelyn Marine of Suffolk, VA; brothers: James Hawkins (Odessa) of Columbia, SC, Lee Hawkins (Eva Mae) of Hartsville, SC, Charles Hawkins (nephew/brother) of Hartsville, SC; two sisters-in-law, Margaret Williamson and Almeta Tedder; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Roy was also known to many as  "Hawk" and Big Roy.  He was a man of selective words but he spoke with intention and meaning.  He loved his family dearly and showed it through his actions.  He was exceptional in the kitchen, enjoyed commentating sports while watching them " in his own way" and most definitely loved his Washington Redskins football team.  Everyone who has come in contact with Roy has their own unique story, whether it was good, bad, or indifferent.  These unforgettable memories will forever live in our hearts.

Visitation for relatives and friends will be held from 2:00pm to 6:00pm daily at the residence 3408 Society Hill Road, Society Hill. The family has requested that all visitors please wear a mask. 

Please keep the Hawkins family in your thoughts and prayers. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mr. Roy Hawkins, Sr., please visit our floral store.