Bishop Charles G. Hawkins, Sr

Bishop Charles Hawkins, Sr., D.Min., 89, passed away on July 11, 2016, in Clearwater, Florida, after a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer’s. He died peacefully with his wife, Shirley Edwards Hawkins, by his side. He is also survived by his son Charles Hawkins, Jr. and his wife Kelly Clark Hawkins of Tampa, Florida, and their three children, Ashley Hawkins Colette (Zachery), Ryan Clark Hawkins (Ashley) and Daniel Edwards Hawkins; and his daughter Elizabeth Anne Hawkins Knowles and her husband Bishop Clint Knowles, Jr. of Hackleburg, Alabama, and their three children, Gabriel Wynn Knowles, Michael Ashton Knowles and Elizabeth Brianne Knowles.Charles is preceded in death by his parents, James Charlie Hawkins and Thelma Biggers Hawkins, his sister, Elizabeth Hawkins O’Neal, and his brother, Bishop Henry Lavell Hawkins. Born on December 23, 1926, in Choctaw County, Mississippi, Charles became a member of the Church of God (of Prophecy) in 1936. After serving in the U.S. Army in Japan at the end of World War II, he returned home to Mississippi to take up his calling to join the ministry of the church. In 1951, Charles married Shirley Edwards of Danville, Virginia, and she served with him in ministry all during their marriage.Charles served in various ministries in the Church of God of Prophecy from 1947 until 2004. These included General and World Evangelist, State Overseer of Wisconsin, National Overseer of England, Foreign Mission Secretary, World Mission Secretary, Ministerial Aid Department Director, and he was the pastor of several churches. Besides the appointments he filled in the Church of God of Prophecy, Charles found other ways to minister. In response to the needs of the homeless people in Memphis, TN, Charles founded the Memphis Day Shelter in 1986. The shelter operated for nine years, feeding and ministering to the homeless in downtown Memphis. Charles also earned his Master of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry degrees late in life, and started the Regions Beyond Evangelist Association in support of mission work in China. In 2004, he traveled to China in fulfillment of a lifelong dream and calling to minister there. At the age of 77, he taught English language classes to university students in Jinan, China, while finding opportunities for ministry to the Chinese. Charles was tireless in his devotion to fulfilling his dreams and the calling of the Lord.Charles was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. He will be greatly missed, but we rejoice in the knowledge that he is no longer suffering and is now waiting for us in Heaven.A Remembrance of Life Service will be held 11 o’clock Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at Peerless Road Church of God of Prophecy, 3301 Peerless Road, Cleveland TN. The interment will follow at 2 o’clock at Chattanooga National Cemetery, 1200 Bailey Ave. Chattanooga TN., with military honors. The family will receive friends Monday from 5 until 8pm at the church. The North Ocoee St. Chapel of Jim Rush Funeral Homes has charge of the arrangements.Read Obituary