Phi Kappa Tau - Mississippi State University

A L P H A C H I C H A P T E R 3 Remembering Gary Hawkins '61 (Continued from page 1) Charles admired Gary's loyalty to Phi Kappa Tau, Mississippi State, his family's Ford dealership in Calhoun City, and, most importantly, his family. Just a few years after becoming Gary's fraternity brother, Charles became his brother-in-law when he married Gary's sister, Beth. "Even though Gary loved his family and all they were involved in, every week I (and several other Phi Taus and friends) would get emails and newspaper articles from Gary about Mississippi State and the Bulldogs," Charles said. "Gary gave me the best treasure ever—my wife and his sister, Beth, who was an Alpha Chi Red Carnation Ball Little Sister in the spring of 1963 (the semester before I joined Phi Kappa Tau). Gary's Phi Kappa Tau class, his Phi Tau schoolmates, and Alpha Chi alumni will certainly miss him. I know I do." The Best Storyteller in Starkville Gary garnered respect from his brothers and so many of his peers in the Starkville community. His ability to tell stories was second to none, and his brothers were always glad to listen to them. "One day, he went to a Mississippi State spirit committee meeting and I guess the topic focused in on the fact that Bully was getting old and decrepit and maybe they needed to be looking for a new bulldog. Gary suggested that if the dog was in that bad of shape, maybe the dog should be put down," Ed said. "That didn't go over very well, but I guess shortly after that, they did get another bulldog that someone had raised. I clearly remember Gary telling that story at the Phi Kappa Tau house." The connections Gary had at Mississippi State had perks for his brothers as well. Ed enjoyed going on a tour of MSU's athletic facilities a few years ago that was possible because of Gary. "You could always count on Gary. He was a very dependable guy with a huge amount of leadership. And he knew everybody," Ed said. "I think he should've run for congress because he knew enough people. He would have probably been elected." Barry Toney '85 presents Gary Hawkins '61 with the inaugural Alpha Chi Brotherhood Award. Gary Hawkins '61 at Alpha Chi's Hall of Fame and Alumni Awards banquet on November 2, 2018, at the chapter house. One Fine Brother Mack got to know the Starkville community very well growing up, as his dad was an ROTC instructor at State. However, after graduating high school in Denver, Colorado, he was looking for ways to feel at home when he arrived at Mississippi State. Gary played a big role in making that happen, as they got to know each other well as roommates and study partners. On weekends, Gary made sure that Mack never felt home sick and occasionally invited Mack to his own home. The friendship that ma- terialized between Mack and Gary was one that could never be broken by distance or time. "Even though we had been separated for several years, it was like we had never been apart. He was just one fine brother," Mack said. "Gary was the chapter representative for the Bulldog Club and served as chapter treasurer, too. Not every time we went to a ballgame, but occasionally we would meet at the alumni tent and eat lunch together. When the 1964 class had its 50th anniversary, even though he was a business major and I was in engineering, we still went to the meetings and we had a good time there, too. I'm going to miss him." Gary's Greatest Gift The 1940-1965 Alpha Chi alumni directory that Gary organized with the help of his wife, Evelyn, has been instrumental in strengthening the bonds of our brotherhood. Richard and his wife have been thankful that Gary has kept so many brothers and their spouses in touch through the directory and the reunions he organized. One day when Richard's wife was watching a TV show, Real People, about the nation's best ads, she got his attention to let him know that there was a familiar face on their screen. There was Gary telling customers that they'd be treated right at his Ford dealership. "There's no doubt all of us remember Gary as a solid guy. After gradua- tion, we scattered as most classes do and did not stay in close touch, as we had jobs and growing families. Then Gary pulled off a miracle: a re- union of our class and anyone else who wished to attend," Richard said. "It was without a doubt the greatest gift he could ever have given us. The years and miles apart were, as they say, gone in 60 seconds. There was no way we could ever repay Gary for the reunions he organized."

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