Obituary of Donald E. Hawkey

LUGOFF – Donald Edward Hawkey, devoted husband for 56 years, father of three, grandfather of five, and great-grandfather of two, passed away on November 9, 2019, at Kershaw County Medical Center in Camden, SC.  He was 88 years old.

Born in Trotwood, Ohio, on June 12, 1931, he was the first child of Ralph F. Hawkey and Ula M. Hypes-Hawkey.  He attended Madison Township Schools, graduating from Trotwood-Madison High School in 1949, where he was a three sport athlete.  He attended The University of Dayton, where he played on the Freshman Football Team and later attended The Palmer College of Chiropractic before being drafted to serve in the Korean War.  Mr. Hawkey received an honorable discharge and then embarked on a successful business career.

    Don began his career in business with Top Value Enterprises.  While working for Top Value in Houston, Texas, Don met the love of his life, Mary Patricia Edwards-Hawkey, on a blind date in August of 1956.  Nine months later they were married on June 1, 1957 in Mary Patricia’s home town of Fort Sumner, New Mexico.  What followed were 56, wonderful, years of marriage that saw his business career and family blossom.   

    After working his way up the ranks with Top Value Enterprises to the position of Southeast Area Vice President in Atlanta, GA, Don decided to exit “corporate life”.  He wanted to raise his family in a small town where he could establish roots and live a simpler life.  Through his association with Top Value, he had developed a friendship with Bob Ingles – owner of the Ingles chain of grocery stores.  Don purchased an Ingles that was struggling in the budding community of Lugoff and made the bold decision to move his entire family to South Carolina.  In 1974, Don opened Farmer Don’s Supermarket where you could find “The Best Meat in the County”.  A square dance was held in the parking lot to commemorate the event.  Don and Mary Pat worked tirelessly to turn what was a struggling grocery store into a profitable supermarket.  Don provided his employees with profit sharing programs and healthcare benefits that were previously not offered.  Farmer Don’s was a pillar in the community and Mr. Hawkey was known simply as “The Farmer” to locals.  In 1984 Don sold Farmer Don’s to Piggle Wiggly and retired so he and Mary Pat could enjoy their “golden years” together. 

    Don will be remembered as being a devoted family man, honest, caring, hard-working, and generous.  He set a standard for his family that was simple and straightforward: “do the right thing”.  His word meant something and he always followed through on his commitments.  To his last days, he was still thinking about the well-being of his family and always offering to help where he could.

    Despite not being from South Carolina, originally, Don took great pride in calling Kershaw County his home.  He routinely took friends from out of town on rides to see all that his community had to offer.   He loved the people of Lugoff and Camden.  He loved the history.  He had a great appreciation for the school system that graduated all three of his children and four of his grandchildren.  He developed lasting friendships and believed Kershaw County offered everything a man could want when it comes raising a family and being successful. 

Don is survived by his sister, Sharon Hawkey-Herr; daughter, Dawn Hawkey-Czekalski and her husband Dan Czekalski; sons, Blake Edward Hawkey, Brian Keith Hawkey; grandchildren, Patricia Ann Stevenson and her husband Allen Daniel Stevenson, Caroline Rhett Brown and her husband Charles Earl Brown, Hayden Ashley Hawkey, Donald Keith Hawkey and his wife Camille Bedu Hawkey, John Ellison Walker; great grandchildren Mary Electra Stevenson and Luca Aiden Hawkey.

    The family will receive guests for Mr. Hawkey, Tuesday beginning at 12:00 p.m. at Powers Funeral Home with memorial service at 1:00 p.m. and burial to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Camden.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Association.