John W. Hawley

A Memorial Service for John W. Hawley will be held on Friday, May 27, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. at the Republican City Methodist Church in Republican City, Nebraska, with Pastor Seong Lee officiating. Please join us to honor a life well lived. Inurnment will follow at the Republican City Cemetery, near the resting-place of five generations of relatives. Military Honors will be provided by the Alma American Legion, Fay Cady Post #118, in conjunction with the Navy Funeral Honors Team.

John Woods Hawley was born the second of four sons, to Chester Carl Hawley and Gladys Flora (Woods) Hawley on June 6, 1925, in Republican City, Nebraska. He peacefully departed this life at 3:16 AM, January 5, 2022, in Alma Nebraska, at the Colonial Villa-Good Samaritan Society nursing home.

He accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior in 1937, and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in Republican City. He transferred his membership to the First United Methodist Church in Santa Ana, California in 1959, and served on numerous boards and committees for over 40 years, holding the chairmanship on many of them.

John attended school in Republican City, with the class of 1943, however he was able to graduate in December of 1942. He then moved into his brother's dorm room at Midland College, after his brother was called into service.  He studied one semester before joining the Navy in May of 1943. He was assigned to the V-12 Unit and studied Aeronautical Engineering for seven semesters at Kansas University. At Midland and KU, he earned varsity letters in track. He was commissioned as an Ensign in the Navy in November 1945, and served at NAS Kahului, Territory of Hawaii, before returning to inactive duty in August 1946. He taught high school and coached at Republican City for one year, then returned to KU and graduated with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering in 1948. He returned to active duty in October 1950 during the Korean War, serving on Admiral's staffs at NAS San Diego and Barbers Point HI. Again, returning to inactive duty in December 1951, he eventually was discharged as a Lieutenant in the Navy Reserve in 1956. He obtained a Commercial Pilot's License in 1950.

On October 27, 1951, John was united in marriage to Elizabeth Eleanor Skene at Submarine Base Chapel in Pearl Harbor. To this marriage three children were born: Brice Carl in 1952, Leslie in 1954, and Mary Catherine in 1961.  This union lasted 42 years. The family resided in Santa Ana, where the children were raised, and all participated in a variety of activities. Many close family friends were made during the 40 years residing there.

John loved the mountains, especially the California High Sierras and enjoyed backpacking for nearly 40 years.  His three children backpacked with him many times, and two of them accompanied him to the top of Mt. Whitney.  He bagged 14 peaks of over 11,000 feet and often said he felt close to God while sitting at the very top of a high mountain.

He was a member of Phi Delta Theta and served as chapter president one semester. He was a member of The American Legion, Masonic bodies, and the Elks, where he participated as a blood donor to the Red Cross, giving a total of eleven gallons. In 1995, he received an MS degree from Azusa Pacific University in Applied Computer Science and Technology and taught one term at Azusa Pacific.

John became involved with the Plastics Industry in 1954 and worked in various engineering, manufacturing and sales capacities before starting Hawley Equipment Company in 1974. This company was a Manufacturer's Representative, selling equipment to the Plastics Processing Industry. During this rapid growth period for Plastic, he was involved in many developments in equipment, processing, and specifications. He was a charter member of the Technical Board of the Plastics Pipe Institute and was involved with the writing of specifications for plastic pipe and fittings. He was a member of the Underwriters Laboratories PVC conduit committee, assisting in establishing specifications for conduit and fittings. He was a charter member of the Western Plastics Pioneers, and a 50-year member of the Society of Plastics Engineers. He was involved with many pioneering developments in plastics, including the first twin-screw extrusion of PVC pipe and the first screw-injection molding machines in the US. He designed the first PVC electrical conduit fitting in 1955. He served two years on the President's Small Business Advisory Committee during the Reagan administration, and during that time, he was honored to have met the president and have a picture taken with him.

He was preceded in death by his father, C. Carl Hawley in 1960; his mother, Gladys in 2006; his former wife, Betty in 1995; and three brothers: Bob in 1973, Chet in 1997 and Dick in 2001.

Mourning his passing are his son, Brice and wife, Signe of Howardwick, Texas; daughter, Leslie and husband, Brian Yamamoto of Fairbanks, Alaska; and daughter, Mary of Bend, Oregon.; four grandchildren: Jessica and Joshua Hawley; Rosalyn and Stuart Yamamoto; three great-grandchildren: (Koetting) Foster Grace; Jess; and John Brice; sisters-in-law: Lola Hawley of Alma; Donna Hawley of Nelson, Nebraska; and Iona Hawley of Valparaiso, Nebraska.

A memorial book signing will be held on Thursday, May 26th, 2022, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Bauer-Torrey & Mach Funeral Home in Alma, with the family greeting friends from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The family kindly requests that memorials be given directly to the charity of your choice; or that you plant or donate a tree in John's memory.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Bauer-Torrey & Mach Funeral Home in Alma is in charge of the arrangements.