JOHN STEVENS HAWKS

JOHN STEVENS HAWKS

(February 27, 1937-June 28, 2017)
John Hawks passed away on June 28, 2017. A native of Goshen, Indiana, he was born to John Uline Hawks and Virginia Lee (Stevens) Hawks. He was the oldest of three sons. Goshen was a wonderful place to grow up, and he and his brothers spent summers at Lake Tippecanoe, playing golf, cribbage, and loving lake life. Both sets of grandparents and a favorite Aunt and Uncle lived close by. Family was very important. He was a member and Altar Boy at the First Presbyterian Church in Goshen.
John was a graduate of Wabash College (BA Finance, 1959) and Indiana University (MBA 1960). John was a proud member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He spent his entire professional career with American Fletcher National Bank/Bank One, retiring in 1996. John married Joan Thursfield on June 11, 1960. They celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary just before her death in September of 2014.
During his career with AFNB/Bank One, he served in multiple roles of increasing responsibility, touching Operations, Investments, and Mergers and Acquisitions. He always said that he enjoyed his job because he felt like he was making an impact. He served AFNB with loyalty and dedication. He instilled his strong work ethic in his family.
Additional professional education includes Certificate of Banking, Finance and Management from the University of Wisconsin Graduate School of Banking; University of Illinois National School of Bank Investments; the University of Michigan Graduate School of Business Administration; and Columbia University Commercial Bank Administration Program.
Outside of work, he enjoyed serving others as he served the Bank. From a professional perspective, he was a Junior Achievement Advisor and President of the Society of Advancement and Management. His philanthropic efforts included work for the March of Dimes. He enjoyed leveraging his financial acumen to benefit organizations that mattered to him—the Marion County Republican Party, Ivy Hills, Charleston Crossing, and Plum Creek Village Homeowners’ Associations. John was an excellent bridge player, and played in multiple regular and duplicate clubs until just recently, when his health no longer allowed him to enjoy the game.
Perhaps his favorite volunteer effort was his work with Allisonville Little League (now Allisonville Youth Baseball and Softball). He was Board Treasurer and an active coach of Scott’s baseball teams. He was the unofficial statistician for Scott and Ginny’s teams, keeping meticulous statistics of every game. He could be found along the outfield fences, scorebook in hand, cheering on his own kids, and everyone else’s. He also would disappear early in the morning on Game Days, especially after a rain or storm, to groom the fields into game ready (immaculate) shape. John and Joan made lifelong friends through Little League, and cherished watching their grandsons continue the Hawks family involvement in Allisonville Little League.
Friendships were very important to John. He met with his Sigma Chi fraternity brothers regularly for lunch, and kept in touch through regular emails with his high school friends and other family members from whom he was separated. The Army Reserve group had regular dinner parties and family gatherings, which John and Joan enjoyed immensely. While they lived in Plum Creek, new friendships were formed and were cherished.
Family was everything to John. We are a close-knit group, enjoying Sunday Dinners, vacations, and fun family times celebrating birthdays. John and Joan nurtured and supported a strong family, and Ginny and Scott are committed to continuing this legacy.
John is survived by his children, Virginia (Ginny) Hawks Campbell and John Scott Hawks, grandsons Matthew Hawks Campbell (Audrey) and Andrew John (AJ) Campbell, great-granddaughter Cecilia Anne Campbell-Miller, and brother Frank Hawks (Rebecca). John was preceded in death by his parents, brother Harvey E. Hawks, and his beloved “Hawks”, his wife Joan.
Friends and family may visit from 4-7 pm on Monday, July 17, 2017, at Flanner and Buchanan Oaklawn Funeral Center, 9700 Allisonville Road, Indianapolis, IN 46250. The Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, July 18, 2017, with additional visitation at the church starting at 10:00 am, at Allisonville Christian Church, 7701 Allisonville Road, Indianapolis, IN 46250. The Reverend Diane Shockley Spleth will officiate.
Memorial contributions may be made to Allisonville Youth Baseball and Softball, c/o Kiernan Keating, 3705 East 75th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240. Please make checks payable to AYBS and note John Hawks in the memo line.
Arrangements entrusted to Flanner and Buchanan-Oaklawn Memorial Gardens. Please visit their website www.flannerbuchanan.com for a complete obituary and to sign the online guestbook.