John Arthur Hawbecker, 80, husband of 54 years to Mildred Joan Sutton Hawbecker, of 26 Quail Drive, Salem, passed away, Wednesday, January 30, 2019, at Greenville Memorial Hospital. A native of Scranton, PA, Mr. Hawbecker was the son of the late John Hawbecker and Mary Hawbecker-Brown. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam as an enlisted Cryptologist Analyst.
After the Army, he pursued a 23-year career as a Communication Systems Analyst with the Department of State, during which he served 14 years overseas in Greece, Philippines, Korea, Singapore and Pakistan. After retiring from the government in 1987, he worked for 15 years for Lockhead-Martin as a Satellite Systems Analyst. He volunteered to serve as the chairman of the Architectural Control Committee for the Danbury Forest Homeowners Association in Springfield, VA.
After final retirement, he moved to the Walhalla area in 2002. He was a member of the Antique Boat Club of America, NARFE, Vietnam Veterans Associations in the Upstate, Newcomer Club of the Foothills, and was a founding member of Euchre Card Club. He was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, where he served on the congregation council.
Mr. Hawbecker enjoyed home improvement, always had a project on which he was working and completed many home renovations himself. He loved bluegrass music and chopping wood. He attended many car shows and took trips across the nation with his friends in the American Automobile Club of America.
He participated in Operation Inasmuch Outreach. Mr. Hawbecker enjoyed clogging with the Keowee Cloggers, and was the only male in the group. He also worked with Disaster Response on two mission trips to Mississippi to serve those that were affected by hurricane Katrina.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Hawbecker is survived by a daughter: Delaine Marie Hollandsworth (Edgar M.) of Ashburn, VA; sons: John Michael Hawbecker (Andrea) of Lorton, VA and Bryon Lee Hawbecker of Woodbridge, VA; sister: Ellen Marie Brown of Selbyville, DE; grandchildren: Bryce K. Hollandsworth and Kyle J. Hollandsworth; special cousin: Eileen Selkis of Fort Mill, SC; and numerous friends and extended family. A celebration of life will be held at 1:00 PM, Thursday, February 7, 2019, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Walhalla, SC. The family will receive friends immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 301 W. Main Street, Walhalla, SC 29691 or to the charity of one’s choice in honor of John. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Mr. John Arthur Hawbecker please visit our Sympathy Store.
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