Obituary of Carl Albion Hawkinson, Jr.

Carl Albion Hawkinson (86) of Shoreline, WA passed away on May 20, 2023.

He was born on March 16, 1937, to Helen and Carl Hawkinson in Seattle, WA.

Carl attended Blessed Sacrament School and graduated from O’Dea High School. He attended one semester at Seattle University but then decided to pursue his education by traveling the world. He traveled to Kotzebue, Alaska and worked in a cannery, kayaked and lived in the Lacandon Jungle in Mexico, and kayaked along the coast of Belize.  He later joined the U.S. Army where he hoped to serve in Panama or a remote area, but instead returned to Alaska – where he got frostbite on his toes and crashed a military tank.  

On November 28, 1964, Carl married Sharon O’Neill and they had two lovely daughters, Michele and Erin.

He worked as a warehouse supervisor for Sears for many years. After retiring from there he worked with his friend Don at his sporting goods store, where they laughed, drove to Reno to gamble (and pick up skis), and sometimes sold skis and hiking gear.

Carl was an avid sportsman and traveler. He kayaked down dangerous rivers, across the Puget Sound and in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. He was a lifelong runner.  He ran many 10ks, half marathons and marathons, in addition to the multiple times he ran in the Rainier to the Pacific Relay. When he could no longer run, he turned to biking – mountain biking in many places that are now residential developments and completing the STP on many occasions. He was an avid cross-country skier, skiing at Cabin Creek, doing the Hog Loppett from Mission Ridge to Blewett Pass, and the Caribou Marathon at 100 Mile House in Canada. He and his wife owned a condo at Sun Peaks, B.C. where Sharon would downhill ski while Carl hit the cross-country trails. He enjoyed spending time at La Push with family and friends, where they would play beach volleyball, hike to the Hole in the Wall, build incredible sandcastles and try not to freeze to death in the cold ocean water.

Carl enjoyed watching the Sounders, Mariners, Sonics, and Seahawks. He saw Pele compete against the Sounders in the Kingdome in 1976 and watched as Edgar Martinez and Ken Griffey, Jr. made the playoffs in 1995. He was at the Coliseum to see the Sonics in their playoff run in 1979 and had season tickets to the Seahawks in the early days but had to give them up as the games conflicted with his daughter’s soccer games.

With his wife and friends, he traveled to 46 countries. He enjoyed each place, but especially La Push, the Caribbean Islands, China, and Barcelona, Spain.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Helen Hawkinson and his two brothers Dan and Larry.

Carl is survived by his wife Sharon of 59 years and his two daughters- Michele (John), Erin (Mike) and four grandchildren, Logan, Brayden, Theo and Helina. 

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 31 at 11:00 am at St. Luke’s Church in Shoreline, WA. Reception following.  Burial at Holyrood Catholic Cemetery.

Memorials or donations may be made to Catholic Community Services of Western Washington.