Harold B. Hawkins, M.D., 79, beloved husband of 54 years to Lynne Berneike Hawkins of Hamden, passed away on December 31, 2020. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children; Carolyn H. Lee (R Brian Lee) of Larchmont, NY, Harold B. Hawkins (Jocelyn O'Brien) of West Hartford, and Robert H. Hawkins (Yaya Wu) of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, seven grandchildren; Abbie, Charlie, and Elaine Hawkins, Tristan, Cameron, and Gavin Lee, and Phoebe Hawkins, and his brother, Larry B. Hawkins (Charlotte Hale) of Puyallup, WA.
Although Connecticut was his home for most of his life, Harold, born in Oklahoma, considered himself to be an Okie. Shreveport, LA, where he lived for 5 years, held his best memories. There he learned to play golf, caught turtles in a bayou to sell to a local 5&10 store, and played chess incessantly, in person and over the phone, with a friend with whom he was in contact for life. Both of his parents graduated from the University of Oklahoma, an amazing accomplishment in the 1930s. They intended that their sons go to college and, at considerable sacrifice, supported his undergraduate studies at Yale University. He attended Dartmouth Medical School and graduated from Harvard Medical School. Following a stint in the Public Health Service assigned to the Peace Corps in Fortaleza, Brazil, internship and residency, Harold was a radiologist at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT for 28 years.
Harold and Lynne raised their family in West Hartford. With his undergraduate degree in art history, Harold loved to travel. The family took wonderful trips, always with all three children. When the dollar was strong and the franc weak, they had beach vacations from Normandy to the Riviera. His parents had a cabin in Taos, NM, where the family also spent many summer weeks. When he gained a few middle-age pounds, Harold began running, and ran the Boston Marathon in 1978. With the example of their parents, all three children run and love to travel.
With concession to COVID-19, a memorial gathering will be held via Zoom at 9:00 AM on Thursday, January 14. If you wish to be included, please contact lynne.hawkins@gmail.com to receive the link. A reception will follow in late summer. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to The Connecticut Food Bank , 2 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492, or to the charity of your choice. Arrangements are in care of Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home, 2300 Whitney Ave., Hamden.