June Barker Hawkins Horton, 84, of Greenwood, Arkansas peacefully passed away on Thursday, November 14, 2019 at Pink Bud Nursing Home. June Barker was born on January 22, 1935. She was the first of seven children born to the late Mildred Simkins and Loyd Lone Barker. She was married to the late Aaron B. Hawkins on January 20, 1951 and they were married for 47 years. They had three children, Eddie, Donna and Carol. June received her Bachelors of Education from the University of Arkansas in 1970 and went on to also receive her Masters in Education. She taught history and psychology at Springdale and Waldron High Schools for 20 years. June and Aaron returned to Scott County, AR in 1984, and later relocated to Greenwood in 1996 to be near their children and grandchildren. She lost her husband in 1998, but continued making a life for herself in Greenwood. In 2008, she married the late Otis Horton, who made her very happy until his passing four years later.
If you knew June, you will remember her kind heart, her quiet resolve and her absolute devotion to Jesus Christ. Depending on what stage of life you met her, you may remember how she led her husband to his college classes every day, and dictated his notes after he had become blind in his early twenties; how she championed his success and refused to allow his blindness to be a disability to his future, all while attaining her own Bachelors and Masters degrees. You may remember her stunning ability to recall bible verses, historical events, dates, and their application to or impact on today’s society. You may also remember her as a fixture in the early Sunday Service at First Baptist. She will be remembered as a doting mother and grandmother, steadfast wife, prudent big sister, devout Sunday school teacher, dedicated high school teacher and an amazing friend.
June is preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Aaron B Hawkins; second husband, Otis Horton; two brothers and one sister, Loyd Barker, Mack Barker and Rose Ann Isham.
She is survived by a son, Eddie Hawkins and wife, Andrea of Greenwood; two daughters, Donna Rogers and husband, David of Ellenton, FL and Carol Whitson and husband, Donnie of Greenwood; two step daughters, Lena Thomas and husband, John of Greenwood and Reba Collinsworth of Commerce, TX; six grandchildren, Josh Whitson (Megan), Sarah Brownfield (Brody), Hannah Kuzlo (Przemek), Michael Hawkins, Erin Hawkins and Sam Rogers (Alexis); three step grandchildren, Zack Thomas (Ariane), Jack Thomas and Amy Moore; six great grandchildren, Hayes, Lettie, Ella Beth, Lucas, Theo and Anya; step great granddaughters Serenity and Destiny; one sister, Patsy Slagle (Bill) of Boles, AR; two brothers, Billy Wayne Barker of Boles, AR and Robin Barker (Brenda) of Waldron, AR as well as many nieces and nephews.
Visitation and viewing will be Sunday, November 17 from 2 - 4 pm at Greenwood First Baptist Church. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m., Monday, November 18 at Greenwood First Baptist Church under the direction of McConnell Funeral Home. June will be interred alongside her late husband, Aaron, at Buffalo Cemetery in Boles, AR.
Donations can be made to Buffalo Cemetery, 11089 Hwy 71 South, Boles, AR 72926.
