May 19, 1952 – August 23, 2025
John David Hawley Jr., 73 of Stevens Point, passed away at home on Saturday, August 23, 2025, surrounded in love by his wife, daughter, and family. He was born in Kenosha on May 19, 1952, to John and Lois (Gehrke) Hawley.
John grew up in Kenosha and attended local schools there. He graduated from Mary D. Bradford High School in 1970. John married his junior high school sweetheart, Cynthia Ziesemer, on November 19, 1972, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel. John took courses at UW-Parkside and Gateway Technical College. John worked as a linesman and in repair for 30 years with the Wisconsin Bell and AT&T telephone companies, where he eventually moved into a management position.
John enlisted in the Army and served from July 1972 to February 1979. He was stationed in Hawaii, Korea, and Kentucky. He was honorably discharged, achieving the rank of SGT E-5. He also served 1 year in the Army Reserves. John was especially proud of receiving the Army Commendation Medal, with 2 bronze oak leaf clusters, and the Korea Defense Service Medal.
John loved sitting outside or on the front porch listening to music with a beer or martini. He enjoyed traveling and visiting fine restaurants with his wife and family. His hobbies included golf, grilling, walking, reading, and live music, concerts, and stage plays.
John is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Edward Gabriel III.
He is survived by his wife, Cynthia, and daughter, Stephanie. He is further survived by his grandsons, Alexander and Maximilian Zech.
John is also survived by his sisters, Louise Galdonik, Dorothy (David) Baker, Roberta Hawley, and brother, Guy (Gabriella) Hawley.
A Celebration of Life for John will be held on Friday, October 17th at 12:00 p.m. (Noon) at the Bruch Funeral Home. Inurnment with Full Military Honors will follow at Sunset Ridge Memorial Park. Visitation will be held on Friday morning from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service.
John fought a courageous eight-year battle with cancer. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in John Hawley’s name to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Please follow the link to donate: Donations in John Hawley’s Name.
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