Martha Jo "Granny", Marty" Hawk

Martha Jo Hawk, 91, of Silsbee, Texas, passed away, surrounded by her family, on Wednesday, July 7, 2021.  She was born on August 16, 1929, in Lockney, Floyd County, Texas, to Della Alberta Askey Griffith and Thomas Aubrey Griffith.

Martha was known to everyone as “Granny”, to her brother, she was known as “Da Jo”, by her sisters, she was Marty, but to her children, she was Mom, and to her husband, she was known as “Sweet Thing”.  All very endearing names for an individual much loved by family and friends.

At the age of 14 years, Martha accepted the Lord as her savior.  She married William “Bill” T. Lee, Sr., on June 20, 1947, in Andrews, Texas, and had four children.  They later divorced and Martha married Phillip Lee Hawk on December 24, 1954, in Amarillo, Texas. Phill adopted Martha’s four children, Betty, Barbara, Billy, and Kathy, in 1956, then went on to have two more children, Tommy “Tom” and James “Jim”.  Mom and Dad had a full house and loved it.  They enjoyed having children around to the point they fostered many children through their lifetime, even working in a boy’s home in Mississippi.

Phill was in the United States Air Force when they met and married.  They saw the world and took their children with them.  They loved traveling and genealogy, she was very adventurous and curious.  She had seen the world, then she wanted to find out her ancestry.  Martha enlisted her sister, Dean and her daughter, Betty. They walked cemeteries, libraries, traveled, knocked on doors of unknown family.  The past began to come to light, and she was overjoyed to find so many ancestors.  Marty was most proud of being a member of Texas First Families.  Her great-great-grandfather, Abner Askey, came into Texas in 1826.

After Phill retired, they chose to do permanent RVing.  They went state to state but their favorite place was Harlingen, Texas.  When mom and dad decided to retire from RVing, they picked Silsbee, Texas to plant their roots.  First thing they did was find a church, First Baptist Church of Silsbee. Both became very involved in the workings of the church family, mother joined the kitchen group and dad helped with maintenance.  Later Martha decided to start the Quilting Club at the church.  Through the years there have been many women come and go, but they always came back to visit when they were in town.  The ladies have made some beautiful quilts, but most of all they all made friends, a family.  That was Martha’s true calling, help make a family and spread the word of God, and she did, in many ways, starting with her own six children.

Their legacy continues today for Martha leaves behind her husband of sixty-six years, Phillip Lee Hawk; children, Betty Jo Hawk Moeller and her husband, Nelson, of Reading, Pennsylvania; Barbara Jean Hawk Martin of Silsbee, Texas; William “Bill” Travis Hawk and his wife, Maria Guadalupe “Lupe”, of Beaumont, Texas; Tommy “Tom” Lynn Hawk and his wife, Virginia “Gail”, of Silsbee, Texas; and James “Jim” Robert Hawk of Louisiana; a cherished foster child, Michael Lee Rhodes of Dallas, Texas; twenty-four grandchildren; sixty-one great-grandchildren; twelve great-great-grandchildren; three foster great-grandchildren; son-in-law, Luther Kauffman of Reading, Pennsylvania; sister, Mary Jane Jacobs Junod and her husband, Jack, of Texas; and eleven nieces and nephews.  She is preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Kathy Elaine Hawk Kauffman; sisters, Alma Dean Griffith Burson and her husband, Johnny; Doris Virginia Griffith Marler; Linnie Jean Griffith Marler and her huband, Orville; brother, James Albert Jacobs; niece, Judy Katherine Burson Welch and her husband, Carroll; and nephews, Richard Lee Marler and Walter Bob Marler.

A gathering of Mrs. Hawk’s family and friends will be 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 13, 2021, at Broussard’s, 490 Cemetery Road, Silsbee.  Her funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 14, 2021, at First Baptist Church, 350 Highway 96 South, Silsbee.  Her committal will be at Broussard’s Crematorium, with her ashes to be given to a family member.  There will be a headstone placed in Silverton Cemetery, Silverton, Briscoe County, Texas, for genealogical purposes.

The family would like to thank Harbor Hospice for their loving support during our time of hardship.  Most of all a thank you to Janet, Mother’s hospice nurse, for her support, guidance, love, laughter, and friendship, and the support team, Brandi, Heather, and Paughnee.  Also, a big thank you to family and friends for their love and support.

Martha requested that there be no flowers.  Instead, she would like any donation to be made in care of First Baptist Church Elevator Fund, 350 US 96 Business South, Silsbee, Texas 77656.

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