Nov. 28, 1941 – March 19, 2021
De Ann Papworth Hawkes, age 79, passed away peacefully on March 19, 2021, in the St. George Regional Hospital. She kept her nurses laughing to the end with impolitic observations of her doctor’s bald head.
De Ann was born on Nov. 28, 1941, in Afton, Wyoming. She grew up with her beloved brother, Robert in Star Valley, where they loved to camp and fish with their parents. Often mischievous, she enjoyed dancing on the Afton Cemetery gravestones with her impudent friends. De Ann also tagged along with her father to the cutter races, where she developed a love for horses. For her, the worst insult of the pandemic was the cancellation of the 2020 Kentucky Derby. Watching the Derby with De Ann meant hours of instruction on each colt, filly and jockey — and which horse you were required to support. Her all-time favorite was Secretariat, with Seattle Slew coming in a strong second.
De Ann was the first in her family to attend college. She studied English at the University of Wyoming where she met her first husband, Frank Emerson. They married in Afton on September 30, 1961 and had three beloved sons, Mark, Todd and Ryan. De Ann and Frank ran a successful advertising agency in Colorado for many years before De Ann transitioned to travel agent in Salt Lake City. She traveled frequently, favoring Polynesia and utterly ignoring Europe. Her favorite place on earth was Tahiti.
She later married Rich Hawkes in Orem, Utah on April 6, 1994 and was sealed to him for eternity in the St. George LDS Temple on Nov. 24, 2018. They both loved animals and adopted a cacophonic cockatoo (Sydney) and a series of well-groomed dogs that only liked their owners. (Hobson, Bitterman, Sugar and Spice). If the Derby had a rival, it was the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
De Ann is preceded in death by her devoted husband, Rich, and by her father and mother, Covey and Donna Papworth. She is survived by her brother, Robert (Christine) Papworth; and her children: Mark (Leeza) Emerson, Todd (Dianne) Emerson and Ryan (Shawnalee) Emerson; stepdaughters: Clarice (Chris) Goodwin and Emily (Jimmy) Bokinskie; stepsons: Elden (Tracy) Hawkes and Rich (Maranda) Hawkes; and her fifteen grandchildren, twelve step grandchildren and one great grandchild. (Three more on the way!)
Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 10 a.m. at Metcalf Mortuary, 288 West St. George Blvd, St. George, Utah. A visitation will be held prior to the services, from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. She will be laid to rest next to her dear Rich in the Afton Cemetery at noon on Friday, April 2, 2021 under a gravestone she designed. Ever mindful of her rest, the stone is ill-suited for dancing.
Masks are required for those attending the services.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, 435-673-4221. Visit Metcalf Mortuary’s website at www.metcalfmortuary.com for condolences, complete obituary and funeral listings.