THETA BELL HAWKINS
THETA BELL HAWKINS
Theta Bell (McCollum) Hawkins, 92 years old, of Dickson, Tennessee, passed away on Sunday, November 8, 2020.
Theta was born February 17, 1928 in Elmer, Missouri, to Clyde and Lucille (Tucker) McCollum.
She married Harley Hawkins in Queen City, Missouri, in 1946.
Theta is survived by her Three Children: Cosette (Hawkins) Povlovich (Joe) White Bluff, TN, Harley Michael Hawkins (Carolyn) Marceline, MO, and Steven Leon Hawkins (Mindy) Joplin, MO; Eight Grandchildren: Ronda (Hawkins) Giger (Tim) Columbia, MO, Matt Povlovich (Marie) College Grove, TN, Tim Hawkins (Stephanie) Somerville, MA, Jason Hawkins (Rena) Smithville, MO, Melissa (Hawkins) Hensley (Bruce) Kansas City, MO, Molly (Povlovich) Collins (Bryan) Erin, TN, Monica (Hawkins) Worstell (Matt) Ft. Benning, GA, Josh Hawkins (Ashley) Meadville, MO; Twenty Great Grandchildren: Nicholas and Jake Giger, Aubrey and Josef Povlovich, Quinton Hawkins (Amanda), Amolee (Hawkins) Harris (Cole), Gus Hawkins, Nevalee Hawkins, Serena, Brady, and Elaine Hawkins, Andrew (Brianna) Hensley and Alec Hensley, Megan Collins, Shawn, Hannah, and Jackson Worstell, Gunnar, Hayden, and Sophia Hawkins; One Great Great Grandchild: Charlotte (Charlie) Hensley. Sister-in-law: Ruth McCollum, Rockford, IL; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harley Hawkins, Jr. in 2007, parents Clyde and Lucille McCollum, brother James W. McCollum, and long awaited reunion with her sister Leona (McCollum) Roberts who passed when she was 18 years old, and several bothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Theta lived in Browning, MO from 1950 until Harley’s death in 2007. She moved to Erin, TN on the property of a granddaughter until 2015 when she became a resident of NHC in Dickson, TN. She enjoyed many trips with her granddaughter and great granddaughter, and attended church in Erin, TN while living there.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Browning, MO where she also belonged to the women’s church group.
During her earlier years in Browning, she and Harley belonged to a couple’s bridge club who got together to socialize and play bridge once a month.
Later on, she took many wonderful MFA trips with her husband, Harley, to several countries and cities in the U.S. Many more wonderful fun times and trips were spent with good friends, Ronald and Nadine Dixon.
When you describe a person as being beautiful both inside and out – that was her. She always had a beautiful complexion and looked much younger than she was. Even after she had her 3 children, strangers would come to her door and ask if her mother was home. She was a homemaker, loved her children and grandchildren dearly and was so proud of them. She cut out every single newspaper article about her grandchildren, no matter how big or small, and each grandchild has been the recipient of all these articles. She loved to cook, especially for big holiday family gatherings. No one could make a homemade pumpkin pie like she could. Nieces and nephews remember her laugh at family gatherings.
Her most important lessons she learned in life she said was, “Well, one thing I have learned in life is family is really important and people are more important than things and should come first and I learned to trust in God more”.
A private service was held on Sunday, November 15, 2020, at the First Baptist Church in Browning. Burial followed at the Knifong Cemetery. Pastor Rusty Abbott officiated. Pallbearers were: Matt Polovich, Jason Hawkins, Josh Hawkins, Bryan Collins, Tim Giger, and Bruce Hensley. Honorary Pallbearers were: Matt Worstell and Tim Hawkins.
Schoene-Ruschmeier Funeral Home in Milan is handling arrangements.
