Kenneth John Hawker

Kenneth John Hawker, beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away July 9, 2019. Kenneth was born on June 8, 1934 in Lehi, Utah to Ralph and Wanda Hawker. In 1953 he married his sweetheart, Janet Lee Nielson. Together they raised seven wonderful children.

Kenneth made his living as an auto mechanic; and in 1964 he built his own shop, Transmission Limited, in Sandy, Utah. He was well known for being one of the most knowledgeable and honest mechanics in the area. His example of a strong work ethic and providing for his family has been passed down to his children and grandchildren. He taught them to work hard, save their money, and live within their means. He was well-known for being able to stretch the value of a penny longer than anyone else.

Kenneth was honest, kind and had a great sense of humor. He had a great love of the outdoors and spent many days fishing, hunting and camping with family and friends. His children and grandchildren learned from his example to enjoy the little things in life and to take the time to savor the beauty around them. He had a knack for knowing when people needed to feel loved, and he welcomed all who entered his home.

Kenneth enjoyed reading and possessed a wealth of knowledge of just about anything you wanted to know. He loved gardening and was generous with sharing his produce with everyone. He was fond of tinkering. He liked to figure out how anything and everything worked. If it was broke, he could fix it. He was also known as quite the horse trader and enjoyed bartering with anyone that would play along.

One of Ken’s greatest joys was his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved spending time with them and found humor in their antics and misbehavior. He had a sincere interest in the things they loved, the talents they had and the career path they were taking. He was proud of his family and the legacy he and Janet created together. To him, family was his richest blessing. We are honored to call him Dad, Pop, “The Old Man’, Gus, Grandpa, and Great-Grandpa. We will love you forever, Dad! Til we meet again.

Kenneth is preceded in death by his loving wife, Janet Lee Hawker. He is survived by his seven children: Stanley Ray Hawker (Diane), Cindy Hawker Amador (Joe), Kevin Ralph Hawker (Coleen), Debra Hawker Lippold (Mark), Colleen Hawker O’Briant (Randy), Blaine Kenneth Hawker (Karen), and Kendall John Hawker (Jan); 20 grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2019, at the Murray 16th Ward Chapel, 5750 South 619 West, at 11:00 a.m. with a viewing from 9:30-10:45 a.m. prior to the service. Interment at Elysian Burial Gardens.