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It is with sympathy, the management and staff of Slater’s Funeral Home, Inc. announce the passing of Mrs. Blanche Hawkins, 99, of Milledgeville, Georgia. Mrs. Hawkins passed away on Wednesday, November 10, 2021.
Funeral services were held on Sunday, November 14, 2021 at 2:00 PM from the Griffin Memorial Chapel of Slater's Funeral Home. Interment followed in the Bone Cemetery, Milledgeville, Georgia.
Mrs. Blanche Payne Hawkins was born to the late Julius and Emma Hood Payne in Washington County, Georgia on November 12, 1918. Her Family relocated to Milledgeville, Georgia when she was a young girl. As a child and young adult, Mrs. Hawkins flourished in the Oconee Heights neighborhood and attended the local churches to include, Flipper Chapel, Mt. Zion and Flagg Chapel Baptist Churches. During her young adulthood, Mrs. Hawkins worked at Central State Hospital. She often spoke about the beautiful relationships kindled among her coworkers and friends and even recalled the names of clients who were inpatients during that time, which was more than 75 + years ago. Like many African Americans during the 1930’s and 1940’s Mrs. Hawkins also became part of the big migration and she moved to Cleveland, Ohio before finally settling in Oberlin, Ohio. There, in Oberlin, she would remain for more than 70 years. Mrs. Hawkins worked for The Kirtz Family for more than 40 years. She was an integral part of the family while she provided care and assistance to the children Aaron, Eli and Lori. As professed by Mr. Doug Kirtz himself, “Blanche was an amazing person”. The Kirtz Family have remained close with Mrs. Blanche over the years and continue to honor her for the love and care she instilled in them. Most recently, Mr. Aaron Kirtz flew Mrs. Hawkins along with her granddaughter Deborah on an all expense paid trip to Upstate New York, where they honored Mrs. Hawkins during a wedding where she also gave honorary remarks. Many years prior, Mrs. Blanche was also given another all expense paid trip to the Bahamas where she and her daughter Bobbie vacationed. She also worked at Oberlin College, a Manufacturing Plant and also as a Nurses Aide for many years. Mrs. Hawkins was an active member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Oberlin where she worked on the Pastor’s Aide Committee and Kitchen Committee. She served faithfully for more than 60 years. Mrs. Hawkins worked well into her 90’s and kept house at 100 years of age! She had a knack for collecting antiques and cookware and was also an excellent seamstress and cook. She loved to dance and was a traveling member of the Oberlin Cloggers and Line dance team which traveled and performed throughout Northern United States. Mrs. Hawkins had a real love for people and entertaining and was always hosting guests in her beautiful home. She bragged often about her only child, Bobbie and also about her eldest grandchild, Brenda. She was sure not to exclude the other grandchildren, because she truly loved her family and held them all very close to heart. Mrs. Hawkins loved children and babies and she displayed a collection of portraits that she was sent through the years of her beloved grandchildren, great- grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. She was a jokester and comedienne and had impeccable timing and was fueled by the laughter of others. Mrs. Hawkins was a very independent and proud woman. She was able to maintain her livelihood totally and independently within the last two years of her life. Mrs. Blanche Hawkins was predeceased by her husband Mr. Harry Hawkins, siblings, Mrs. Carrie Cheatham, Mrs. Leola West, Mrs. Sally Jarrett and Mr. Julius Payne, Jr., grandson, Mr. Loxie Davis, Jr. She will certainly be missed and her life celebrated by her only begotten daughter, Ms. Bobbie Davis Arnold of Milledgeville, GA; grandchildren, Ms. Brenda Davis Murrell of Atlanta, GA, Ms. Sally Davis Daniels of Atlanta, GA and Reverend Deborah D. Arnold-Boyd (Dr. David) of Tampa, FL; great grandchildren, Ms. LaTonya Parham of Greensboro, GA, Mr. Jason Arnold and Mr. Loxie Davis III, both of Milledgeville, GA, Ms. LaSundra Davis, Ms. Tiffanie Mitchell and Mr. Brandon Butts, all of Atlanta, GA, Mr. Bruce Butts of Mesa, Arizona, Mr. Frederick Daniels of Santa Barbara, CA, Mrs. Stephanie Mitchell Coleman (Demarius) of Mobile, Alabama, Raymon, Rayshon, Tiana, Tyler, Layla, Keenan, Jordan, and Chase; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends shall also mourn this great loss.
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