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Deborah Hawkins

April 14, 1956 - January 5, 2016
Traverse Cty, MI

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Service

Thursday, January 14, 2016
11:00 AM EST
Presbyterian Church of Traverse City
701 Westminster Rd.
Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 946-5680
Web Site

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

Munson Healthcare Foundation; Women's Cancer Fund
1150 Medical Campus Dr.
Traverse City, MI 49684
(231) 935-6482
Web Site

Flowers


Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.

Flower Station
341 W. Front St.
Traverse City, MI 49684
(231) 946-1742
Driving Directions
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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Deborah Jean Haines Hawkins, 59, of Traverse City, Michigan, peacefully entered eternal rest with her Lord on January, 5, 2016, with her beloved husband, sister and children by her side, surrounded in love from her family and friends.

Born April 14, 1956 in Petersburg, VA, the daughter of Jean Dale Haines and Robert Williams Haines, Jr,. Debbie spent her younger years in Ohio, moving to the Chicago area at the age of 9 where she lived until graduating high school. She attended Albion College in Albion, MI, where she received a B.A. and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega Sorority.

After returning briefly to the Chicago area to work, she moved to Northern Michigan where she co-founded Traverse the Magazine in 1981. It was during this time that she met the love of her life, Mark Logan Hawkins of Traverse City, who survives her. They were married in November, 1981. She is also survived by her children, Jamie (Kortney) of Kingsley, MI, Andrew (Kimberly) of Washington, D.C, and Sam Hawkins of Nashville; Sister Alison Haines Whitacre of Annapolis, Maryland; grandchildren Avery, Allie, Eleanor and Owen Hawkins; and nephews Kit, Haines and Nash Whitacre of Annapolis, Maryland.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Stephanie Dale Haines.

Debbie was a member of The Presbyterian Church of Traverse City and has been a staff member there for the last several years. Debbie’s faith, compassion, generous spirit and joyful light were with her wherever God led her, and were evident and contagious to all whose lives she touched. Debbie spent several years in youth ministry before taking the position of Operations and Communications Manager for the church in 2013.

Throughout the years Debbie spent countless hours in mission work, both in and outside of the Traverse City community. She was a stranger to nobody and a ‘Mom’ to many. Her greatest ministry in life was to spread grace in every situation and experience, and to infuse joy in all whom she met, through her contagious smile and strong spirit. Her many personal joys included bike riding with her husband, ‘Sisters weekends’, reading, writing, family games of solitaire, movies, the beach, heart shaped rocks, sparkles on the water, and time spent with her children, grandchildren and friends. Her great passion for her family and friends was surpassed only by the depth of her faith, which was grace-filled, and was modeled always through unconditional love and joy. She lived by the action of keeping ‘eyes on Christ’.

A memorial service in celebration of Deborah Jean Haines Hawkins will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, January 14th, at the Presbyterian Church of Traverse City, with Rev. William C. Myers officiating. A luncheon reception will immediately follow the service and all are invited to join the family in continuing a celebration of Debbie’s life.

Debbie’s family will be forever grateful for the kind and compassionate support she received from her loving community of friends and medical caregivers during her journey. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that Debbie be remembered and honored through a memorial contribution to Munson Regional Healthcare Foundation, designating the Women’s Cancer Fund, 1150 Medical Campus Dr., Traverse City, MI 49684 or at www.munsonhealthcare.org/memorialgifts

The family is being served by Life Story Funeral Home, Traverse City. Please enjoy and share memories of Debbie at www.lifestorytc.com.

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