Steven Hawley
Steven Hawley, 67 years old, passed on May 12, 2017 after fighting a brave 6 year battle with brain cancer and more recently with sarcoma.
Born in Harvard, IL, to Bert and Joyce Hawley, Steve grew up in Sycamore, IL with his brother, Bob and sister, Diane. It is during his youth that he established a love of playing baseball and making life-long friends. After High School, he volunteered to join the Navy and served in Viet Nam and the Philippines. After serving our country, Steve attended Northern Illinois University and earned his degree in Journalism and History. Before leaving the state to become a newspaper sports editor in Glendale, AZ, his much loved daughter, Jennifer Hawley Tatton, was born.
In 1985, Steve moved to Western Washington where he first worked as a stockbroker in Seattle before spending more than 20 years as a well-respected agent for Farmers Insurance. Steve was an incredible athlete. He was a competitive runner, bi-athlete, and cyclist, always placing in the top 10% nationally. He loved racquetball and recreational league softball, forging enduring friendships, in spite of his competitiveness.
Steve married Brenda in 1996. They enjoyed hiking, volunteering, and traveling together, but especially loved spending time with each other, family, and friends. Participating in canine agility events with their Border Terrier, Joey, was a fun time for Steve.
In 2005, Steve committed his life to God. He became a member of Westminster Chapel, joining their men’s fellowship group, and attending church regularly with Brenda. He supported young people by sponsoring children through World Vision, becoming a lunch buddy at his neighborhood’s elementary school for 4 years, and providing encouragement to his grandchildren. Last summer, Steve traveled to Utah, meeting his newborn twin great granddaughters, proudly beaming in a photo of the four generations.
Steve was preceded in death by his father, Bert in 1990. In addition to the twins, Steve’s living legacy includes his wife (Brenda), mother (Joyce), daughter (Jennifer), grandchildren (Brittany, Colton, and Torrence), brother (Bob), sister (Diane), and six nieces and nephews. There are scores of friends he made along the way that also consider themselves part of his family.
His perfect day included a morning latte, a walk with a close friend, then a beer in the evening watching a Mariners or Seahawks game on TV.
A Memorial Service will be held for Steve on Saturday, June 3rd at 2 PM at Westminster Chapel in Bellevue, Washington. In lieu of flowers, remembrances in Steve’s name to Make A Wish of Washington or Smile Train are appreciated, as these were meaningful charities to him.