Reverend Haywood Lee Hawkins, Sr. of Birmingham, Alabama, departed on Tuesday, July 15, 2014. He was born August 14, 1923 in Milan, TN. Rev. Hawkins served on active duty with the US Navy during World War II. He enjoyed 62 years of marital bliss with the love of his life, the late Dorothy Mae Lambert Hawkins. To this union eight children were born. Rev Hawkins will always be remembered by his family as vibrant and full of life. Through the years as an ordained minister, he enjoyed preaching the word of God and singing with the family group, The Hawkins Gospel Singers.

Rev. Hawkins is preceded in death by his wife Dorothy Mae Hawkins, and two sons, Darnell Hawkins and Gordon Hawkins, respectively. He is survived by his son, Haywood Hawkins, Jr; daughter, Susan (Lorenzo) Newton; son, Jeremiah (Rita) Hawkins; son, Isaac (Valrie) Hawkins; daughter, Doreen Hawkins and son, Joseph (Lisa) Hawkins, and a whole lot of grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren; and a great aunt, Fannie Fuller.

Viewing will be on Thursday, July 17, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Valhalla Funeral Home Chapel, 5317 Bessemer Super Highway, Midfield, AL. Funeral Service will be held Friday, July 18, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Faith Chapel Christian Center, 800 Quebec Drive, Birmingham, AL. Burial will follow at Valhalla Cemetery.