Betty J. Hawk, 86, of Ottawa, Illinois passed away peacefully Monday, December 28, 2015 at her home in Ottawa.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 2, 2016 at the Ottawa Funeral Home, with Rev. Tim Underwood, pastor of Illinois Valley Evangelical Free Church, officiating. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, January 1 at the Ottawa Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Oakwood Memorial Park.
Betty was born January 19, 1929 in Akron, Ohio to Carl and Goldie (Zahrndt) Van Cleave. She married William D. Hawk on March 5, 1949; he passed away on January 17, 1966.
Betty graduated from Ottawa Township High School in 1947. For 19 years, she worked at the OttawaMedical Center. She then retired from the Ottawa Police Force as a dispatcher in January 1993, after 20 years. Betty loved to read and cook, and she loved spending time with her grandkids and her furry friends. She enjoyed going to Bridges and eating at Cracker Barrel.
She is survived by four sons, William (Nancy) Hawk of Ottawa, Stephen (Jaine) Hawk of San Antonio, TX; Barry Hawk of Georgetown, TX; and Bradley (Candi) Hawk of Ottawa; one daughter, Carla (Randy) McBrayer of Birmingham, AL; 20 grandchildren, Jessie, Nathan, Wendy, Dustin, Billie, Chris (Sandy), Austin, Kyle, Ally, Katie, Kimmie, Travis, Kelsey (Justin), Katie, Kari (Joe), Clint (Stephanie), Cassie (Matt), Jennifer, Tina, and Josh; 15 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Lurlene Fitzgerald of Ottawa; and two nieces, Susan Koeppe of Ottawa, and Gayle Fitzgerald of St. Louis, MO.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband William; her grandson Josh; one brother; and her daughter-in-law, Mechelle Hawk.
Pallbearers will be Clint, Chris, Travis, and Austin Hawk, Josh McBrayer, Matt Almeda, Joe Hilton, and Justin Easton. Honorary pallbearers will be Kyle and Nathan Hawk and Dustin Heath.
Memorials may be directed to the family.
Betty is laid to rest in the Garden of Psalms.