George E. Hawkins, Jr.

George E. Hawkins, Jr., 72, of Barefoot Bay, Florida and Laconia, New Hampshire, passed away peacefully on March 10, 2026, after a sudden illness, surrounded by his immediate family.

Born on July 15, 1953, in Laconia, he was the son of George E. Hawkins, Sr., and Verna Hawkins. A 1973 graduate of Laconia High School, George spent most of his life in his hometown before retiring to Florida in 2019 while continuing to return each summer. He owned Whitten Construction, served as a Captain with the Laconia Fire Department, and worked as Grounds Manager of Union Cemetery. He also served as a Commissioner for Laconia Parks & Recreation and played a key role in rebuilding several local parks, including Wyatt, Sanborn, Tardiff, and Memorial Parks. Known for his strong work ethic and generous spirit, he was always ready to lend a hand and was widely regarded as someone who could fix just about anything.

George gave countless hours to his community through volunteer work with the Weirs Beach Community Center, Laconia Little League, Bolduc Park, and youth sports programs, including Lou Athanas Youth Basketball and Holy Trinity School. For many years he organized the Laconia Little League Junior All-Star Tournament and helped rebuild the concession stand and dugouts at Colby Field, often working alongside his wife Deborah running the concession stand. He was a member of the Belknap County Snowmobile Association, a certified scuba diver, and an avid collector of gas station memorabilia.

Above all, George cherished time with his family. He took great pride in building the family home on Paugus Bay and in helping his daughter construct several homes over the years. In recent years he especially enjoyed volunteering at Santa’s Village with his granddaughter Hayley. He and his wife Deborah celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on August 3 with a bucket-list trip riding the Cog Railway.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Deborah L. (LaRoche) Hawkins; his daughter Lyndsey Hawkins-Hill and her husband Timothy Hill of Pembroke, New Hampshire; and his beloved granddaughter Hayley Cochrane. He is also survived by his sisters Robin Hendrickx and her husband Alan, and Catherine Hammare and her husband Nils, all of Laconia; his brother-in-law John Thrippleton of New Bern, North Carolina; and four nieces and seven nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, his sisters Nancy Young and Donna Thrippleton, and his wife’s parents, Richard and Rita LaRoche.