Shirley Hyde Hawkins

Shirley Hyde Hawkins, a native and lifelong resident of New Orleans entered her heavenly home on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at the astounding age of 96. She was the devoted wife of the late Cantrelle Louis Hawkins, Sr and the last surviving child of August C Hyde and Anna Reed Hyde. Shirley was an active member of the former St Philip the Apostle Parish where she worked as secretary at St Philip the Apostle School. All of her 12 children attended the school throughout the course of the school’s history. While a parishioner of St Philip, she was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Knights of Peter Claver, the Lady Sodality, and the school’s PTA. A devout Catholic, Shirley grew up in Holy Ghost Parish (now St Katherine Drexel) and attended elementary school there. In her later years, she became a supportive member of St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church, where she worshipped for over 30 years. The matriarch of a large family, she was the loving mother of 12 children, namely Cantrelle Hawkins, Jr, (Margaret), Sharon H. Maxey (Michael), Jacinta Hawkins, Valerie Hawkins, Darryl Hawkins, Glenn Hawkins, Sr (Veolia), Valencia Hawkins, Germaine Hawkins, Kevin Hawkins (Alexis), Brian Hawkins (Shirley), Gerald Hawkins, Sr. and Patrice H. Gatlin (Kenneth). She delighted in visits from her 21 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. Shirley was preceded in death by her loving husband, her parents and all of her siblings; brothers, August (Mae) , James, Clyde (Mildred), and Raymond Hyde and sisters, Helen H Smith (Herbert), Anna H Fields (Israel), Beatrice H Marmillion (Lloyd) and Beverly Joyce Brazile (Ebbie). She also was preceded in death by two newborn children, her first grandchild and a great grandchild. Relatives and friends of the family as well as parishioners of St. Mary of the Angels, St. Philip the Apostle and St Katherine Drexel Catholic Churches are invited to attend funeral services on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church, 3501 N. Miro St., New Orleans. Funeral services will begin at 10 am with the recitation of the rosary and the reading of obituary. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 am. Interment in St Roch Cemetery. Rhodes Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.