Ralph D. Hawkins was born to Noel and Cloe Hawkins on Sept. 14, 1935, in Sandpoint, Idaho.

He was the youngest of 12 children. He grew up on a farm in Sagle, Idaho, where he attended Sagle Elementary School. He played baseball for the Sagle team. He then attended Sandpoint High School, where he played basketball and some football.

After high school he married Marie Converse. They made their first home on Lakeshore Drive at the foot of Hawkins Road.

He spent many happy hours on Lake Pend Oreille as a commercial fisherman in the winter months while logging in the local area during the summer.

They bought and moved to their home on Lignite Road with their children in 1966 where he raised cattle, hayed and worked the land all while working for McFarland Pole company until retirement.

In his 83 years, he enjoyed many elk hunting trips with his brothers, son, sons-in-law, nephews and grandsons; many deer hunting adventures with his son, sons-in-law and many of his grandchildren. He also loved the camping and fishing trips with family and friends, including driving to Alaska several times to see the country and fish for the big ones. When camping at Koocanusa, Johnson Creek or on Lake Pend Oreille, he loved to sit around the campfire telling stories and watching the grandkids and great-grandkids.

He also loved working in his wood shop making Christmas gifts for his family and friends for close to 60 years and working in the garden nurturing his tomatoes.

He loved his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was always there to lend a helping hand. He lived and loved the Sagle area and community his entire life.

He had a great and happy life married for 61 years, living and working on his farm in Sagle, being close to family and friends and he died peacefully in his home on Dec. 1, 2018.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Lynn, Perk, Wayne and Bob Hawkins; five sisters, Opal Van Blaricom, Pearl Hart, Noeline Bidwell, Lawana Olson and Janie Bradetich; and a great-granddaughter, Madison Wyman. He is survived by his wife, Marie; two sisters, Ruby Patterson and Punky Hale; a son, Jim Hawkins; two daughters, Polly (Jack) Pratt and Penny (Tim) Farmin; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews, all of whom he loved and loved him back.

Dear family and friends, we have lost our husband, dad and grandpa, Ralph Hawkins.

Visitation and viewing for family and friends will be on Sunday, Dec. 9, from 1-7 p.m. at the Coffelt Funeral Chapel.

Please join us in a celebration of his life on Monday, Dec. 10 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Sagle Senior Center on Monarch Road in Sagle.

A private interment will be held at Pinecrest Cemetery.

Family and friends are invited to sign Ralph’s online guestbook at coffeltfuneral.com

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Coffelt Funeral Service of Sandpoint.