Joseph B. “Joe” Hawkins, 75, Oelwein, Iowa, died peacefully on Tuesday evening, August 11, 2026, at MercyOne in Oelwein.
Mass of Christian Burial: 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Oelwein with Rev. Henry Huber officiating.
Visitation: 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. on Monday and from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday at the Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home, Oelwein.
Parish Scripture Service: 6:30 P.M. on Monday at the funeral home.
Interment: Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, rural Oelwein, Iowa. Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com
Joseph Bennis Hawkins was born May 18, 1951, in El Paso, Texas, the son of Fred & Valerie (Bennis) Hawkins.
As a young child, Joe would spend summers on the golf course with his father who was a golf pro. His early swings of the club were with his dad’s tour friends, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Cary Middlecoff, Byron Nelson as well as others. He graduated from high school in El Paso and continued his education at Colorado State University in Boulder on a golf scholarship. Following college, Joe worked in construction in Texas for a short time until choosing to follow his heart to work at a golf course.
He moved to Waterloo to start work and it was there that he met Margaret Ann Johnson and they were united in marriage on October 4, 1975, at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Waterloo, Iowa.
Joe was a noted golf teacher in Iowa. He was an assistant PGA Professional at Sunnyside Country Club in Waterloo, the All-Golf Center and Fox Ridge Golf in Dike and most recently at Hickory Grove Golf Course in Oelwein. He had also previously served as Head PGA Professional at Cedar Ridge Golf Course in Charles City, St. Andrews Golf Course in Cedar Rapids and the Ames Golf and Country Club. Joe was Past President of the Iowa PGA. He received the Iowa PGA Section Teacher of the Year in 1994, and Golf Magazine named him a Top 300 Teacher in the United States and Canada.
In his spare time, Joe enjoyed cheering on the Chicago Cubs and spending time with his pets.
Joe is survived by his Wife: Margaret Hawkins of Oelwein; Brother: Tom (Cecilia) Hawkins of Austin, Texas and 2 Nieces: Lorig and Sibley.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents.
