John Charles Hawkins

John Charles Hawkins passed away peacefully in Saint Augustine, Florida on July 1st at the age of 78 after a year-long battle with brain cancer. A proud, native Pittsburgher, John grew up in Sewickley with his beloved brothers, Bill and Frank, who he shared countless good times and wonderful memories with over the years. He attended Quaker Valley High School, where he graduated as class president in 1966. Quaker Valley is also where he met and began dating his wife, Dottie (Szura) Hawkins – when he was 17 and she was 16. They were true high school sweethearts, something that’s often unheard of these days. They celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary on June 5th of this year. They shared a bond like no other, and they were the picture of a true partnership between two people who stuck together through thick and thin. God certainly tested them with several health issues over the years, but they never gave up on each other. John was a brilliant man who was absolutely brimming with knowledge. After attending Princeton University, he embarked on a career in writing, first as a newspaper reporter for the Harrisburg Patriot News. He worked for the National Wildlife Federation in Washington, DC, then moved into public relations and worked for several prestigious companies, including Gulf Oil, DuPont, Aetna, Travelers, and Choice Hotels. He was also a published author, and one of his proudest accomplishments was a series of three books he wrote in recent years, “Betrayal at Bethesda,” where he uncovered little-known facts about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. John was a constant source of love and support for his daughter, Mary, and no matter what the situation, he always remained calm, cool, and collected — even when she got into a little (relatively harmless) mischief! There was nothing she couldn’t share with him, and they had such a special and unique father-daughter relationship. They had several inside jokes that she plans to carry with her – and carry on – for the rest of her life – and he’ll be laughing right along with her from heaven. John had countless close friends throughout his time on this earth, but by far, his number one best buddy was his grandson, Rylan. He was there on the day Rylan was born 20 years ago, and the moment they met, Rylan stared right into his eyes, and they were forever connected. He truly met his match in Rylan in terms of intelligence and wit. Over the past year, they would sit and talk about sports for hours on end. What a gift it was to him that Rylan uncovered a love of Pittsburgh teams during his freshman year at Emerson College. Those conversations were some of the best and most memorable of his life. John’s second best pal was his precious grand-dog, Tito, who brought him plenty of cuddles and so much comfort in his final months. When Mary would visit Saint Augustine and it was time for her to head back to Connecticut with Tito, he’d cry over how much he was going to miss his “little buddy.” There is no doubt that Tito will feel his loss immensely, as he absolutely adored his grandad. As many of you know, John was also a lifelong, die-hard Elvis fan – even doing impersonations that became a hit at parties and gatherings with family and friends. Years ago, when he got a job opportunity in Memphis, he flew in for the interview, got off the plane, rented a car, and drove directly to Graceland. When he got the job offer, he told Mary and Dottie, “It’s like the King is calling me home.” Sadly, the King has called him home for good this time. Words cannot express just how much he will be missed, but we take comfort in the fact that he’s finally met Elvis face-to-face and that he’s reunited with dear friends and family who passed before him, along with his beloved pets, Popcorn and Sammi. We will forever cherish the wonderful memories we shared with him, and we’ll treasure the legacy of unconditional love, intelligence, compassion, and humor he leaves behind. While there will be a huge hole in our hearts forever, we’re so grateful for the years we were blessed to have with him. To quote his favorite gospel song (of course, sung by Elvis) for a simple yet fitting sendoff: “How great thou art.” In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Tunnel to Towers.

John Charles Hawkins

May 14, 1948 - July 1, 2026