Jerry Hawbaker

Jerry B. Hawbaker, age 82, passed away peacefully March 20, 2025 at the White River Medical Center in Batesville, Arkansas.

He was born July 19, 1942 in Decatur, Illinois to Paul and Dolores (Barnett) Hawbaker. Jerry was a bright student and gifted athlete. He attended Millikin University on an athletic scholarship and played football for the Millikin Big Blue. When his coach saw his first semester grades, he called Jerry into his office and told him he was pulling his athletic scholarship and giving him an academic one instead! Jerry was a proud member of Millikin's 1961 undefeated football team. Following two years at Millikin, he finished his studies at the University of Illinois, graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Upon graduation, Jerry was hired by Deere & Co. He worked as a design engineer, as Superintendent of the Experimental Shop, and as a Project Engineer, retiring in June 1992. During his work career, he was awarded several patents for his engineering designs.

Jerry met his future wife, Barbara Skinner-Coble at a John Deere Christmas party in 1980. It was a mutual "love at first sight" for both. They had their first date a week later and were married on May 21, 1982. Together they brought to the marriage two sons and one daughter each. Friends referred to them as the Brady Bunch. Barb and kids moved to the farm in Bellevue, Iowa where Jerry lived, so it was "You are my Wife…Goodbye City Life".

He pursued many hobbies. Jerry was an excellent marksman. He scored two perfect 300 games in league bowling and aced two holes on two different courses for a pair of holes-in-one in golf. Jerry loved woodworking and crafted many beautiful pieces of furniture for his wife, children, and grandchildren. He designed a log cabin home which was so nice that the log company asked if they could use his design in their portfolio. Jerry and Barbara started an Airbnb called Oak Crest Guest Homes in Dubuque, Iowa. Their most famous guests were the actress Amy Madigan, who played Kevin Costner's wife Annie in the movie "Field of Dreams". Amy's real life husband, actor Ed Harris, joined her for one month of her three-month stay at the Oak Crest Cottage. Jerry and Barbara later purchased Neighbor's Tap & Restaurant and ran it for a few years before selling it to Barb's brother and retiring to Cherokee Village.

While living in Cherokee Village, Jerry enjoyed golfing, horseshoe pitching, bowling, playing softball, woodworking, pontoon boating, and volunteering time to the City's Road Committee.

Jerry was a loving supportive husband and father. He was honest and kind and had a good sense of humor. He would shed tears at a sad movie. (We loved that about him).

He enjoyed a good game of Euchre or UP & Down the River. Jerry was always a "Good Winner", as he would say, but he was equally an accepting "Good Loser".

Jerry is survived by his beloved "Darlin" wife, Barbara of Cherokee Village; sons: William Hawbaker, Ben (Sonja) Hawbaker, Paul Coble, Craig (Kari) Coble, all of Iowa; daughters, Dianne (Derek) Maurer of Missouri and Carrie (Dan) Bull of Mississippi; sister, Carolyn (Steve) Thomton of Colorado; seventeen grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren, many sisters & brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws, Eugene and Alice Skinner; and his grandson, Nate Hawbaker.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Jerry’s name to the charity of your choosing or to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which he was fond of.

A Rosary will be at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Cherokee Village on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 10:30 am. Funeral Mass will begin at 11 a.m. Family will receive friends following Rosary and Mass at Tri-County Funeral Home Chapel in Highland from 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Services are entrusted to Tri-County Funeral Home of Highland.

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Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there; I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the diamond glints on snow,

I am the sun on ripened grain,

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there; I did not die.

Mary Elizabeth Frye