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Mr. Joe Edward Hawkins Jr. was born to the late Joe and Mae Belle Hawkins on June 26, 1957. He passed away on Sunday, June 30, 2019.

Mr. Joe was a faithful member of Hopewell A.M.E. Zion Church. He was a very hard working man who devoted almost 40 years with Lomax and Hannon along, with a host of Reverends and Bishops who became like a second family to him. He was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees with A.M.E. Zion.

On March 12, 1982, Mr. Joe married the love of his life, his “Patty Cake,” Mary K. Hawkins of 37 years. Out of this union four kids were born.

His son, Joe Edward Hawkins III; sister, Mattie Mae Rudolph, and two brothers, John Hawkins and Willie Joe Jones, preceded Mr. Joe in death.

Survivors include his loving wife, Mary Hawkins; two daughters, LaRhonda Hawkins and La’Kesha (Lee) Brown, all of Greenville; four sons, Joshua (LaQuesha) Hawkins of Greenville, Akwasi (Valerie) Maru of Milledgeville, Ga., Tiawan Holston of Atlanta, Ga. and Tony Shephard of Mayo, Fla.; seven grandchildren that he adored, Bre’Yuna, Kei’ajah, Le’Bryce Herbert, Genesis Hawkins and JaMarcus Hawkins, all of Greenville, and Anaya and Ayira Maru, both of Milledgeville, Ga.; six sisters, Pearlie Mae Robinson, Willie Nell (Anthony) Davidson, Alice (Tony) Roper, JoAnn (Charlie) Mason and Gloria (Curtis) Shabazz, all of Greenville, and Janice Holston of Montgomery; mother-in-law, Mary Dean Crenshaw; two sisters-in-law, Debra Owens and Nancy Crenshaw, both of Greenville; five brothers-in-law, Johnnie, Robert, Ronnie, Donnie Whatley, David (Chandra) Crenshaw, all of Greenville; a host of special aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins and some good friends, the Rev. J.E. (Clarine) Fields, the Rev. Dr. Claude Shufford, Lester Jackson, Zebbie Simpson and Willie D. Moore.