Obituary of Lucile Hawk

The life of Lucile Hendershot Hawk came peacefully to an end as she was sleeping Monday evening, December 8, at Hearthside Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in State College, PA. Lu was born on the first day of spring (March 20) 1929 in Langhorne, PA to Mary Walls of Beckley, WV and was adopted as an infant by Minette Reaves and Frederick Hendershot of Newton, NJ. Throughout her life, Lu engaged fully with brightness and talent as a pianist and piano teacher, pastor's wife, mother, grandmother, medical social worker, and friend. She attended Cedar Crest College, Penn State University, and the University of Texas at Austin for her social work degrees. She lived in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, and North Carolina - all to be with or near various family members while she was working or going to school. Her concern for others earned her the family epithet of "the queen of empathy," which extended to people and animals. Her eyes twinkled, even in the last stages of Alzheimer's, as she teased her caregivers and gave mischievous answers to straight questions. At age 70, she embarked upon a search for her birth family, finding an uncle in California. He was delighted to meet her and inform her about her birth family. This was a dream come true. Lu and Ernie Hawk, her husband of 28 years, had three children: Tsultrim Datso (nee Diane Hawk) of Boulder, CO, Philip Hawk (married to Candace Smith) of Lemont, PA, and Marcia Hawk (deceased). She devoted herself to accompanying Marcia through her journey with multiple sclerosis for 25 years. She took delight in her four grandsons: Dechen Hawk (nee Stefan Spearly) of Boulder, CO, Maxwell Hawk of Hardwick, VT, Simon Hawk of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Solomon Hawk of Durham, NC. Her sister and brother-in-law, Janet and Robert Testa, also survive her and live in Dunnellon, FL. Lu's spirituality was expressed in her daily life as she took an interest in those around her and also in her association with the Society of Friends. Donations to honor her life can be made to the American Friends Service Committee at http://afsc.org/you-can-help or 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia, PA 19102, 215-241-7000. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com or visit us on Facebook.