Zora "Zeke" Hawthorne

Notes:

"Hawthorne Will Celebrate a Century" San Augustine Tribune, July 29, 1999 p 13

Zora Hawthorne will be honored for his 100th birthday at a reunion Saturday, July 31, at the Hen House Ridge Pavillion at Martin Dies Jr State Park near Dam B.

Hawthorne was born July 30, 1899, to Tim and Mary Hawthorne of Roganville, a small sawmill town 11 miles south of Jasper. Hawthorne was the youngest of 14 children.

Until grown, Hawthorne worked on the family farm which was by the Santa Fe railroad tracks and could tell which train was coming through just by the whistle.

Growing up listening to those whistles gave him the desire to work on the railroad. At age 21, he went to work on a switch engine in Roganville during the winter and continued to work on the farm during the summer months.

In 1928, Hawthrone went to work for Kirby Lumber Company at Camp 11 near Silsbee.

During the Depression, he farmed until 1937 when he went back to work for Kirby until 1941.

World War II began while he worked for Livingston shipyard in Orange where he was employed until 1942 when his dream of riding the rails was realized as he went to work for Kansas City Southern (K.C.S.) where he remained employed for 30 years until retirement at age 70.

In 1996, Hawthorne lost his wife of 73 years, Mae Fairchild Hawthorne.

He now shares his life with the remainder of his family which includes daughter Mary Lou King and husband Larry of Broaddus and daughter Doris Jean Ostraner of The Woodlands.

Hawthorne is grandfather to six, great grandfather to 17 and great-great grandfather to three.

OBITUARY
Sabine County Reporter
19 July 2000

Zora "Zeke" Hawthorne, 100, of Broaddus died Monday, July 10, 2000, at Colonial Pines Health Care Center in San Augustine. Hawthorne was a native of Roganville and had formerly lived in Pt. Arthur 59 years.He was a retired engineer with Kansas City Southern. Survivors: daughters, Mary Lou H. King of Broaddus and Doris Ostrander of The Woodlands; six grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held July 12 at Friendship Church near Roganville, interment followed at Friendship Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; 2990 Richmond Ave, Ste 118; Houston, TX 77098-3196. Levingston Funeral Home of Groves, directors.

Zora married Lillie Mae Fairchild on 20 Dec 1923. Lillie was born about 1904 in Diboll, Angelina County, Texas; died on 16 Dec 1996 in Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas; was buried in Friendship Cemetery, Roganville, Jasper County, Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]