Rosella Hawkins, wife of the late Gilbert Hawkins, a long-time Grace Brethren pastor, has died. Services will be held Saturday, December 5, 2015, in Warsaw, Ind. Her obituary and funeral information appears below.
Rosella Mildred Hawkins of Warsaw, Ind., went home to be with her Lord surrounded by family at 2:29 p.m. on Friday, November 27, 2015, at Kosciusko Community Hospital of Warsaw, Ind., at the age of 91.
She was born on March 18, 1924 in Tiffin, Ohio, to John Albert Hughes and Mable Mary (Hoy) Hughes. Rosella graduated from Lasalle School of Business in Chicago, Ill., and worked for Moody Bible Institute until 1953.
On August 29, 1953 she was married to Pastor Gilbert Eugene Hawkins, who died on July 27, 2014.
She was always at her husband’s side as he pastored for 60 years in Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, and Indiana with the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches. They started their first church in Berrien Springs, Mich., before moving to Jackson, Mich. There she worked as a bookkeeper for Tompkins & Johnson. Rosella taught Sunday School until she was 89, and she was always involved in children’s ministry…but most of all she loved Jesus and her family.
She was a resident of Kosciusko County, Ind., for the past 14 years where she was a member of Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church in Winona Lake, Ind.
She will be lovingly remembered by her son: James “Jim” (wife Tami) Hawkins (Oklahoma City, Okla.); two daughters: Sandy (husband Steve) Barrett (Warsaw, Ind.); Gail (husband Dave) Rosner (Ft. Wayne, Ind.); nine grandchildren: Shanda (husband Tom) Reed (Pennsylvania); Sabrie Hawkins and Sierra Rose Hawkins (Oklahoma City, Okla.); Jason (wife Darcy) Barrett (Falls Church, Va.); Amber (husband Brian) Hodorek (Winona Lake, Ind.); Heather Chalfant (Warsaw, Ind.); and Ben, Josiah, and Isaac Rosner (Ft. Wayne, Ind.); and nine great-grandchildren: Ashley, Alyssa, and Julia Reed; Bode, and Will Barrett; Barrett, Bianca, and Baxter Hodorek; and Jaylen Rosner.
Also surviving are two brothers: Raymond (wife Betty) Hughes (Florida), Robert Hughes (Ohio), and her sister: Dorothy Thomas (Ohio). She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and six siblings.
Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. – Noon on Saturday, December 5, 2015 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana.
Her funeral service will follow immediately at Noon on Saturday, December 5, 2015, at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, Warsaw, Ind., and officiated by Pastor Bruce Barlow. Burial will follow with a graveside service at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw.
Memorial donations may be directed to Lakeland Child Evangelism Ministries, P.O. Box 612, Winona Lake, Indiana 46590 and would be appreciated by her family.