Betty L. Hawkins

Funeral services for Betty Hawkins will be held at Lamar Christian Church at 2:00 p.m., Friday, April 18, 2025 with Pastor Ian Blacker officiating.  Interment will follow in Fairmount Cemetery.  To honor Betty’s love of hats, ladies in attendance are encouraged to wear their favorite.

Elizabeth Louise Derr was born on March 13, 1924 in West Newton, Pennsylvania to John and Della (Errett) Derr. She passed away on April 5, 2025 at Holly Nursing Care Center in Holly, Colorado at the age of 101.

Betty and her siblings were raised by their loving parents on the family dairy farm. Betty had seven older siblings: Hannah, Sarah, David, Jake, Margie, Mary, Adam, and Cora, and a little brother -John. Betty graduated from high school at Swickley High. She then worked at Robert Shaw Thermostat until her handsome pen pal came back from WW II and swept her off her feet.

Charles Edward Hawkins saw the photo of a beautiful young lady in his buddy’s hands. He asked if he could write to her, and after he was honorably discharged from the army, Charles made his way back east to get his best girl. Charles and Betty were married at her parents’ home in Pennsylvania on April 26, 1945. They built their life together in Caddoa, Colorado. After growing up in the beautiful rolling hills of Pennsylvania, Betty was shocked at the flat, dry prairies of Southeast Colorado.

Charles and Betty had three rambunctious boys, Chuck, Jim, and Joe, followed by little sister Barbara. Charles took over the mail route from his dad and proceeded to carry it for the next 50 years. Occasionally, Betty would do the route while Charles worked on the construction of John Martin dam. She worked at Aspen Ski Wear in Lamar doing piece work making green ski coats. She also worked at the Fort Lyon VA hospital in dietetics.

Betty took great delight in being creative. She sewed clothes for her children, tiny outfits for the barbie dolls, table runners and quilts. She also did ceramics for many years and made many treasured pieces for her family. Betty created sun catchers, crocheted afghans, and glittered sweatshirts for the grandchildren.

Baking cinnamon rolls was a talent that everyone appreciated. Betty thought it was perfectly appropriate to have her cinnamon roll for lunch. She introduced the grand children to vanilla milk and helped the great-grandchildren love lollipops. She was a member of the Red Hat Society and took much joy in the most bejeweled head dress possible.

Charles and Betty were fortunate enough to go on several life adventures including Australia, Hawaii, and Alaska. It was very important that she take photos and videos of these trips- even though the pictures may have been of the floor or half of a person. We all got a giggle from her photography.

Betty loved gorgeous flowers and butterflies. She was a generous soul and would arrive at your home with a baby doll in an egg, a plant she fixed, a cinnamon roll she made, or some treasure from the dollar store that she thought you needed.

Betty’s greatest treasure was her family. She loved her children and grandchildren deeply. Babies and little ones were such a delight and joy. She was a good mom, a good grandma, and a good great-grandma. Her home was an inviting treasure hunt, and she was thrilled to have us there and show off her cat.

Betty was so proud of Chuck, Jim, Joe, and Barbara, and her family was everything to her. She and Charles moved from Caddoa to the Legacy when they needed a little more help with life. Charles and Betty team driving- she watched one way and he watched the other - had the family concerned. They enjoyed the camaraderie and dinner routine of the Legacy for several years before they moved to the Holly Nursing Care Center. How do you summarize a hundred years of life? Charles and Betty were married for 78 years. They leave a legacy of love and hard work. Hers was a long life well-lived.

Betty is survived by her daughter, Barbara Ann Wertz; son, Joseph (Gail) Hawkins; daughter-in-law, Linda Hawkins; nine grandchildren, Charlotte (Bryan) Herrera, Shelby (Justin) Homm, Aaron (Darcie) Wertz, Jeff (Leslie) Hawkins, Lisa Harvey (Jon Littler), Chad (Jennifer) Hawkins, Amy Allen, Justin (Julie) Hawkins, and Brandi (Mike) French; 23 great grandchildren; and many other relatives and a host of friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband Charles, parents, sister, Cora Schwanz in August who was 102; sons, Jim Hawkins and Chuck Hawkins; son-in-law, Steve Wertz; grandson-in-law, Todd Harvey; and close friend, Den Kusaka.

Memorial contributions may be made to Lamar Christian Church or Lamar Area Hospice in care of Valley Memorial Funeral Chapel, P.O. Box 950, Lamar, Colorado 81052.

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