Ira Vaughn Hawkins

Ira Vaughn Hawkins was born on March 5, 1940, to the late Henry Lawrence Hawkins and Lillian Vaughn Hawkins. When he was two years old, he contracted polio but taught himself to walk again. He attended Gower School and graduated from Bellevue High School in 1958. He attended Lipscomb College and Middle Tennessee State University.

Vaughn began his career in banking working for several local banks before joining First American National Bank, where he ultimately became a vice-president. He was a lifelong member of River Road Church of Christ.

He was active with his sons in scouting and sports and was well-known in middle Tennessee as the “Pinewood Derby Man”. He ran pinewood derby races for Cub Scout Packs for over 45 years.

Vaughn “Poopie” Hawkins loved riding motorcycles and went on annual summer trips with his cousin, Tommy Carlton, and several friends. He loved his schoolmates from Bellevue High School and helped organize annual class reunions for two decades.

He is preceded in death by his parents listed above and his loving wife of 52 years, Victoria Ann Hedgecoth Hawkins. They spent their years together raising their three sons and traveling, including a trip to Saint Petersburg, Russia. Later in life, they loved spoiling their grandchildren.

Vaughn is survived by his three sons Steve Hawkins (Diana), Gary Hawkins (Rebecca), and Chris Hawkins (Stephanie); and grandchildren Sarah Beth McGehee (Jeff), Catherine Ann Jonas (Jared), Connor Vaughn Hawkins, and Grace Olivia Hawkins; great-grandchildren Henry, Madeline, and Amelia.

A visitation will be held at Harpeth Hills Funeral Home on Thursday, April 18, 2024, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm and on Friday, April 19, 2024, from 9:30 am until the hour of service. The funeral service will begin at 11:30am with Joe Rushing officiating and burial will follow in Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens. Serving as pallbearers will be Jeff McGehee, Jared Jonas, Connor Hawkins, Maurice McFarland, Larry Bordman, Terry Tage, and Billy Travis serving as honorary pallbearer.

The family would like to thank Lillie White for the untiring care she provided to Vaughn over the past four years.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider donating to one of these local organizations: Boy Scouts of America, Middle Tennessee Council, St. Luke’s Community House, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 

All links to their donation pages are listed below.

https://www.mtcbsa.org/donatenow

https://www.stlch.org/donate

https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html?sc_icid=header-btn-donate-now