Lon GaWayne Hawkins was born June 15, 1940, in El Reno, Oklahoma, the son of Clarence and Ruth Hawkins. He was their fourth child with three older sisters, Arlene, Binny and Bunny, and a foster brother, Johnnie Miller, who grew up with the family. Lon died Tuesday, December 5, 2023. Lon graduated from Carmen (Oklahoma) High School in 1958 and graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1963 with a degree in agricultural education. On December 18, 1961, he married Karen Cole from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and they were parents to William Gregory Hawkins and Jennifer Kay Hawkins.

Following graduation, he enlisted in the Navy and became a Navy carrier pilot, flying off the US Bennington and landing 300 times on that carrier doing two tours in the Vietnam War. He served in the Navy Reserve for 23 years and retired as a commander.

Following his tour of duty, he became a Delta Airline pilot serving for 20 years. Upon retirement from the airlines, he and Karen returned to Cherokee, Oklahoma, to resume the family farming operations where Lon raised registered Angus cattle, alfalfa and wheat. Deepening their roots in the community, they bought a home, a motel, renovated it and subsequently bought an old service station and turned it into a classy steakhouse with adequate space for truck parking. Their goal was to serve people and make a difference in Cherokee.

Lon is preceded in death by his parents, C. M. and Ruth Hawkins; foster brother, Johnnie Miller, and daughter, Jennifer Kay Hawkins.

He is survived by his wife, Karen; his son, William Gregory Hawkins and wife Mary and their children, twins Arianna Schall and husband Steele, Clarence Jacob Hawkins, and Daria Melton and husband Britt (children, Bryn Case and Roselynn Kay), Jennifer Kay Hawkins' children Brandon Loftin and Terry Loftin; sisters, Bunny Mosley, Binny Pearce and Arleen Calavan.

Celebration of Life Service was held at Cherokee Methodist Church on December 9, 2023, with burial following at Cherokee Municipal Cemetery with U.S. Navy military honors. Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Cherokee. Online condolences may be made at http://www.lanmanfuneralhome.com.

Memorials may be made to the City of Cherokee, Pocket Park, or Tunnels to Towers (TtoT) through Lanman Funeral Home.