Obituary: George Holbrook Hawes

A Masonic memorial service for George Holbrook Hawes, 97, will be conducted by Carson Lodge No. 1 at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at FitzHenry's Funeral Home.

Mr. Hawes died April 9, 2002, at Evergreen Healthcare Center in Carson City. He was born May 10, 1904, in Skowhegan, Maine, to William Holbrook and Eldena Josephine Smith Hawes.

He graduated from Skowhegan High School in 1923. He attended Colby College and Hobart College, receiving a bachelor of science degree in education from Rutgers University. He also attended the University of Nevada, Reno master's program for political science. While a student at Colby College, he helped found the first chapter of the Boys and Girls Club of Waterville, Maine.

For more than 50 years, Mr. Hawes' career was in public service. When he retired from the Carson-Tahoe Hospital Board of Trustees in 1998 at the age of 94, he was the oldest elected official in the state of Nevada. He served in the Nevada State Assembly in 1951 and 1953 and was Senate Sergeant-at-Arms in 1957. During his long career, he was a lobbyist for many organizations, worked for the Nevada State Department of Transportation and was director of the AARP Employment Service in Las Vegas. He was also a school teacher, principal and coach, worked at a hay ranch, worked as a gandy dancer for the Union Pacific Railroad, became an air warden, a volunteer fireman, worked in an aircraft plant and owned an auto dealership.

He belonged to many organizations during his long life. He became a Mason in 1927, was also a Shriner and had been a member of Carson Lodge No. 1 since 1972. He was also a member of the Elks Club, the Leisure Hour Club, the Democratic Central Committee and Library Associations of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and Reno. He was especially proud of his Rotary Club membership since 1934 with 100 percent attendance as long as his health allowed.

He had been a member of the Nevada Retired Teachers Association since 1971 and was past president of the Las Vegas Retired Teachers Association. He belonged to Ormsby County Fish and Game, Carson City Chamber of Commerce, The Nature Conservancy Chapters of Nevada and Maine and was past first vice president of the Carson City Democratic Women's Club.

He was preceded in death by his son George Holbrook III, sister Helen Hawes Loomis and brothers William Holbrook Jr. and David Stewart.

Among his survivors are his son and daughter-in-law David Holbrook and Barbara Babcock of Fort Collins, Colo.; brother John Edward of Smithfield, Maine; grandsons David Remington and Rem Hawes of Washington, D.C., and Steven Holbrook of Fort Collins; great-granddaughters Morgan and Alexandra Hawes of Washington, D.C., and nine nieces and nephews.

Burial will be in Skowhegan.

Memorial contributions may be made to Meals on Wheels, c/o Senior Citizens Center of Carson City, 911 Beverly Drive, Carson City 89706 or to the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada, 673 S. Stewart St., Carson City 89701.

FitzHenry's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.