- Date Of Birth: April 1, 1935
- Date Of Death: October 21, 2018
- State: New York
Jessie Hawkins was born on April 1, 1935 in Jamaica, New York. He is the eighth of fifteen children and the first of three sets of twins born to Deacon David Hawkins and Deaconess Elizabeth Hawkins.
He was raised in the public school system and attended Woodrow Wilson High School. After high school, he joined the United States Air Force in 1955 and was Honorably Discharged after 4 years of service. He worked as Clinical Nurse at Creedmoor Psychiatric Hospital and retired after 32 years of dedicated civil service.
He was an outstanding softball player in the local softball league [Jakes Junkies].
Jessie and Gloria Nelson (deceased) gave birth to his first child Beverly Nelson Kennedy (deceased) in 1954. He met and married Janet Hawkins at Mt. Zion Baptist Church on March 25, 1958. They had eight children: Jesse Jr. (Dana), Warren, Derek (Angelavette), Lisa, Barry, Gary (Bridgette), Timothy, and Charisse.
As a child, he attended Mt. Zion Baptist Church and later Salem Missionary Baptist Church with his brothers and sisters under the leadership of Freddie Brunswick and their father Deacon David Hawkins.
He was affectionately known as “Pappy” and “Roper” by his close friends and family. His children were all known by their nicknames starting with Bullet, Merciful, Hawk, Bo-Peep, Monkey, Rat, Worm and Shag-Mag-Naggy. Those of you who know the Hawkins will know what name goes with what child. Pappy was known to play a joke or two and always made lite of any situation. When it came to talking fast, James Brown had nothing on Pappy Hawkins. All of his grandchildren and great grandchildren will miss his playful nature and sense of humor.
During his retirement years, his favorite past-times were baseball, western movies and talking about his kids.
Jessie Hawkins left this earth on Sunday, October 21, 2018. He was predeceased by his parents Deacon David Gladstone Hawkins and Deaconess Elizabeth Hawkins, his brothers James, Herbert, Sammy, Ervin, William, Albert, Donald his sisters Bernice, Earline, Justine (his twin), Alberta, Geraldine, his daughter Beverly Nelson Kennedy, and grandson Tykeem Justin Hawkins.
He leaves behind in God’s Care, his wife Janet, six sons, Jesse (Dana), Warren, Derek (Angelavette), Barry, Gary (Bridgette), Timothy, one stepson Jamel (Tameka), two daughters Lisa and Charisse, 20 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, one brother Ernest, one sister Donella; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
