Richard "Ted" Hawley

Richard Theodore (Ted) Hawley was born the youngest of four siblings on November 28, 1935, in Denison, Iowa, to Robert Theodore and Alice (Brockelsby) Hawley and died on May 22, 2019, at the family farm north of Vail. At the time of his death, he had attained the age of 83 years, 6 months and four days.
Ted grew up on the family farm and attended country school in Milford Township for one year and then Vail public schools, graduating in May of 1954. In high school, he was a standout in sports, playing basketball, track and softball.
In 1956, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was stationed in Camp Pendelton in California. He attained the rank of corporal.
On August 21, 1956, he married Jeanne Aylward at the Vail Presbyterian Church. After the wedding, they returned to California until he was discharged in March of 1958. While in California, their daughter Kimberly Joy was born. They returned to the family farm north of Vail and farmed with his brother Bob until 1958 when he bought his own farm where he farmed for the next 60 years. He raised row crops, cattle, hogs and chickens. He retired from active farming in 1998, leasing his land but remaining on the farm, always checking to see the leasors were "treating the land right".
In 1958, the family was joined by son Richard Thomas (Tom) Hawley, then followed by sons Russell Todd in 1960 and Theodore Gene in 1963. Larry Horky came to work for Ted on the farm and soon became an adopted son. Ted enjoyed golfing, woodworking, card playing, socializing, restoring old cars and tractors and doting over his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Grandchildren always looked forward to grandpa taking them to the "country store" where they could pick out any kind of candy they desired (except gum!). He also held annual "weinie roasts" where everyone would join him on the farm for trap shooting, bag tournaments and card games. He was crowned champion of the Hayes Township Schuetzen Verein (King Shoot) in 1991, and inducted into the Vail Softball Hall of Fame in 2016. He served on the Ar-We-Va Community School board for six years, was on the original board of the Crawford County Cattlemens Association, was a member of the Vail United Presbyterian Church his entire life and served as an elder. He was a 50 year member of the Masonic Lodge and a Past Master of Diamond Lodge 422 in Vail. He supported the community with volunteering for numerous committees and events. His greatest enjoyment was his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and despite the large number of them he could remember each one's name.
Ted is survived by his wife of 63 years Jeanne; his five children: Larry (Barb) Horky of Sioux City; Kim (Randy) Muhlbauer of Vail; Tom (Tami) of Mount Ayr; Russell (Lori) of Vail; Theodore (Joni) of Missouri Valley; his sister Gladys (Dean) Morford of Rio Verde, Arizona; brother-in-law Gordon Hinz of Iowa City; sister-in-law Norma Hawley of Denison; sister- and brother-in-law Joyce and Kenny Kock of Vail; brother- and sister-in-law Paul and Mary Aylward of Huron, SD; 15 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Bob, sister Marie Hinz and grandson Eric Horky.