Eric Edwin Hawkins

On Monday, December 3, 2018, longtime Elizabeth, Colorado, resident Eric Edwin Hawkins passed away peacefully at home with his wife Lora and four children Megan, Hillary, Shelby and Garett at his side. After a colon cancer diagnosis, Eric lived his life to the fullest for the last 2 ½ years before being called to rest.

Eric was born on April 28, 1964, to Edwin and Harriet Hawkins in Grand Junction, Colorado. He graduated from Grand Junction High School in 1982 and went on to attend Mesa College (now Colorado Mesa University). While at Mesa he majored in Computer Science and Mathematics and played on the men’s basketball team, where he still holds many records and was an NAIA All-American and Academic All-American. Eric would later be inducted into the Colorado Mesa Hall of Honor in 2000.

After graduating with honors from Mesa in 1986 he married his college sweetheart, Lora, and moved to Dallas, Texas, to start his career as a computer software engineer. Two daughters and eight years later they returned to Colorado where Eric continued his work in the same field. After landing in Elizabeth, Eric and Lora built their forever home in the country, where they completed their family with another daughter and a son.

Eric enjoyed coaching his kids’ sports teams, working on home improvement projects, and hiking with friends and family. Although not a hobby, he also spent many hours helping his kids with their math homework. This helped prepare Eric for a short stint teaching math at Elizabeth High School, where he was also the varsity girls’ basketball head coach for 3 years. Eric returned to his software engineering career but still remained very active in coaching and his kids’ activities.

In addition to enjoying the continued successes of his children, Eric experienced some highlights over the last two years, including hiking a 14er with his family, traveling to Agate, Nebraska, to see the 2017 solar eclipse, and going on a cruise with his wife to Alaska. Although cut short, Eric lived a full and happy life and will be sorely missed by his family and friends.

Eric is survived by his wife Lora (Mick) Hawkins, children Megan (29), Hillary (28), Shelby (21), and Garett (18), parents Edwin and Harriet Hawkins of Elizabeth, Colorado, brother Gregg Hawkins of Garland, Texas, and numerous relatives and friends.

A memorial service celebrating Eric’s life will be held Friday, December 14, 2018 at 10:00A.M. at Harvest Bible Church, 826 S. Elbert Street, Elizabeth.

A men's basketball scholarship has been set up in Eric’s name at Colorado Mesa University. The family is asking for donations to the “Eric ‘The Hawk’ Hawkins Scholarship” in lieu of flowers. Donations can be made by going to https://www.supportingcmu.com/give/scholarships, selecting “other” in the designation and typing in Eric ‘The Hawk’ Hawkins Men’s Basketball Scholarship. Donations can also be mailed to the CMU foundation, 1450 N. 12th Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501.