Obituary of Joan Hawkins

Joan Hawkins 1941 – 2010 Joan Hawkins affectionately known as Amma passed away in Chetwynd, British Columbia on August 25, 2010. Amma was born in Quill Lake, Saskatchewan in January of 1941 to William and Johanna Atkinson. Later she moved to Dawson Creek, British Columbia where she married the love of her life and best friend, Joe Hawkins in May of 1958. There they raised three children. First came Janet, second was Jody. As grandpa was wheeling Amma into the hospital for the third child he gave Amma a reassuring pat and a loving kiss and these words of encouragement, "if it’s not a boy, you’ll be back again in nine months.” Thankfully Amma pulled through and Joseph Jr. was born to complete their family. Although times were tough for them, Amma stayed home to raise the children, Dad and my aunties remember coming home to the smell of baked cookies and receiving hugs and kisses from Amma. After raising their children, they moved to Chetwynd in 1978. There Amma worked at Canfor until the mid 1990s and then decided to be a full time housewife and gardener. She also was a proud grandmother of eleven grandchildren. Amma was a private person but she loved her family with all her heart and was the anchor of all the families to get together for the holidays. She loved nothing more than to be surrounded by the ones she loved. She went all out for Christmas especially. She would bake her world famous fudge, vinaterta and butter tarts as well as a vast assortment of cookies complete with trays of candy. Then the competition between the grandchildren for back tickles from Amma was on. Amma wasn’t without a sense of humor either. Apparently after our family and Auntie Jody’s family moved out to their acreages, she decided that for one Christmas it would be a great idea to buy the grandchildren snow shovels for Christmas…apparently…I will still deny that fact to this day, there is no way our Amma would be responsible for such an act. Regardless, she loved to laugh and play. She also played a very active role in being a peace keeper in defending her grandchildren during the summers of camping when they would get their fishing lines tangles in Grandpa’s boat motor. She may have been small in stature but she knew how to tame a bear named Grandpa quite easily. As a mother, she was full of love and compassion and left her individual mark on each of her children. I know right now she is happier than she has ever been in eight years. Her and Grandpa are sitting down together again sharing a coffee and cigarette and a dance or two by a lake and catching up on old times. Amma is predeceased by her parents Jamma and Bill, husband Joe, and sister Nola. She is survived by her brother Bill (Linda) Atkinson, children Janet Cameron (Jim Lloyd), Jody (Roger) St. Pierre, and Joe (Debbie) Hawkins, eleven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Rest in peace Amma, until we see you again. A celebration of Joan’s life was held on Saturday, September 4, 2010 at 11:00 am at the Fellowship Baptist Church, Chetwynd, British Columbia with Pastor Bill Evans officiating.