She graduated from Columbus High School in 1962, and she graduated Cum Laude with a Juris Doctor from Pace Law School in 1984. Stephanie was admitted to the Connecticut State Bar in 1984 and to the New York State Bar in 1985. After completing her law degree, Stephanie worked at Dewey Ballantine, New York, NY for four years, and then at Robinson Cole, Stamford, CT from 1988 to 1998. Prior to her law career she was the Sole Proprietor of Grafiko, a graphics art company.
Stephanie married William Stanley Hamilton II in 1964, and she married Richard Hawkins in 1969. In 1997, Stephanie married Charles (Skip) Pierret, and in 1998, they moved to Columbus, IN, where in 1999, she began employment as a senior planner in the Columbus-Bartholomew Planning Department, a position she held until 2001.
Committed to philanthropy, Stephanie was a long-term supporter of Turning Point, a domestic violence shelter in Columbus, as well as many other charities and causes over the years.
After retiring, Stephanie traveled extensively, visiting almost every region of the globe. She had planned trips in 2022 to Aspen, Dubai, Morocco and Rwanda to see the mountain gorillas. Stephanie enjoyed painting and was a skilled knitter who found many good friends among an extended community of local knitters. Her family has many sweaters, scarves and other knitwear that they will treasure.
Stephanie is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Hamilton Serratore (John T. Lawson) of Menomonie, WI, and her son, James Alexis Hawkins (Jenny Shoukimas) of Brooklyn, N.Y., two grandchildren, Max Hawkins and Jane Hawkins; two step grandsons, Jesse T. Lawson (Hallie Frye) and John S. Lawson, and two great grandchildren, Lexi Lawson and Eden Lawson. She is also survived by the light of her life Ellie, her dog.
Stephanie was preceded in death by her husband, Stanley Hamilton; her husband Richard Hawkins; her mother, Ruth Noblitt Jewell and her father, James M. Jewell.
A Celebration of Life in Columbus, IN will be planned for later in 2022.
The family asks that memorials be made in Stephanie’s name to Turning Point, 1531 13th St, Columbus, IN 47201 or to Our Hospice Of South Central Indiana, 2626 17th St, Columbus, IN 47201.
