Edell Hawley

August 18, 1918 – March 23, 2020

Mary Edell Collins Hawley, age 101, of Kingsport entered her heavenly home on Monday, March 23, 2020. Edell was a faithful Christian serving First Baptist Church over the course of her lifetime.

Born in Kingsport, Tennessee, Edell was the first child of the late Pryor Mason Collins and Betty May Royston Collins. She lived at the family home on Sullivan Street for over fifty years. Her formal education was at Jackson Elementary, Sevier Junior High School and Dobyns-Bennett High School. 

For twenty-three years, Edell was employed by Kingsport Press. As was obvious to all who knew Edell, her personal energy level knew no bounds.  For many years, Edell enjoyed friends at The First Frontier Quilters Guild of Kingsport and The Kingsport Garden Club. She looked forward to listening to friends tell of traveling adventures and stories about their families. Always more concerned about other’s needs than her own, Edell's kind spirit always glowed through her actions.

Never wanting to waste time, Edell often occupied herself with varied hobbies which included gardening, cooking, designing and making silk flowers, hiking, sewing, quilt making, crocheting, knitting, reading, walking and meticulous home cleaning and decorating. It was not uncommon for Edell to find out when a friend was on vacation and secretly sneak in to weed their garden.  

Several years into adulthood Edell met the love of her life, Robert I.C. Hawley, II (Bob). They were married on May 8, 1971 and spent 30 joyous years together.  They especially enjoyed traveling, entertaining and refinishing old furniture back to its original glory. Edell and Bob remained immensely devoted to each other until Bob’s passing on October 8, 2001.

Edell Hawley was highly regarded and will certainly be missed by her family, friends, church, and community. Edell possessed a well-tended spirit and had a wise and brave soul. Her faithful, compassionate nature touched many and it would be her wish for our family to share more of her brand of kindness in this ever changing and often callous world.

In addition to her parents and husband, preceding her in death were her brothers - Jack M. Collins and Robert L. Collins (Bob); niece - Sara Collins and son-in-law - R.I.C. Hawley, III (Rick)

Left to cherish her memory are her brother Herbert Warren Collins, M.D. (Hilda); nieces - Debi Gardner (Jim), Twinkle Urbanski (Gerry), Monica Lalane (Bob), Teresa Pearce (Randy), Melanie Porter (John, deceased), Gretchen Early (Mike), Gina Downey (Greg), Amy Woods (Darris), Beth Hammons (Charlie); nephews - Kim Collins (Pam), Herb Collins (Vanessa), Stephen J. Collins; daughter-in-law - Marcy Hawley (sons: Craig and Ashford) as well as several great and great-great nieces and nephews.

Hamlett Dobson Funeral Home, 117 East Charlemont Avenue in Kingsport is in charge of arrangements. However, due to current restrictions on group gatherings, there will be no immediate funeral service. A Celebration of Life service in honor of Edell will be scheduled and announced at a later date.

The family requests that no flowers be sent at this time, however, memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church, 200 West Church Circle, Kingsport, TN 37660 or Kingsport Public Library, 400 Broad Street, Kingsport, TN 37660.