R. Stephen Hawley, 94, of Green Valley, Arizona and formerly of Batavia, passed away on Thursday (August 25, 2016) at the Silver Springs Adult Living Facility in Green Valley, Arizona.
The Honorable R. Stephen Hawley, son of Warren Waldo Hawley Jr. and Emma Charlotte Morris was born in Batavia on December 16, 1921.
He graduated from Batavia Public Schools and from Cornell University in 1943 with a BS Degree in Agricultural Economics.
Mr. Hawley served for three years with the U.S. Army, two years in the China-Burma-India Theatre as captain in the Field Artillery during World War II. After completing his service, he entered into the family business with his father and brother as farm manager of Hawley Stock Farms.
Mr. Hawley is an honorary member, Paul Harris Fellow and past president of the Rotary Club of Batavia, past president of the YMCA Board of Directors, past director of the Batavia Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Executive Committee of the Genesee Council of Boy Scouts. He is a member of the American Legion and VFW, the former Loyal Order of the Moose, the Batavia Lodge No.475 F.&A.M., the former Batavia Club, the Town of Batavia Fire Department, the Stafford Grange and Elks Club of Green Valley, Arizona. Mr. Hawley is a member and past president of the Empire Livestock Marketing Cooperative, Pro-Fac Cooperative, Cooperative Extension, Cornell University Council and was a member of the Agway Council. Mr. Hawley is a member and past director of the Genesee County Farm Bureau. He served 10 years on the Town of Batavia Planning Board, 13 years on the Town of Batavia and Genesee County Republican Committee, six years on the Batavia Board of Education of which he was president and four years on the Genesee County Legislature, from 1969 to 1973. Mr. Hawley along with his late wife, Ellen, were strong supporters of the establishment of Genesee Community College. As a County Legislature, he helped supervise the construction of the present college.
Mr. Hawley was elected to the New York State Assembly in a special election in 1973 and remained a State Representative until his retirement in 1993. His district was the 137th which encompasses Genesee, Orleans, part of Wyoming and Monroe counties.
The proudest accomplishment of his career was the establishment of the New York State Veterans Home in Batavia, which was the work of over 10 years of Assemblyman Hawley’s.
Survivors include his wife, Gennette (MacNair) Hawley of Green Valley, AZ; his children, Assemblyman Stephen M. (Theresa Doyle) Hawley, James W. Hawley and Theodore P. (Patricia) Hawley, all of Batavia, Susan Hawley of Florida and Charlotte (Chris) Kinner of Wyoming; two step-daughters, Susan (Edward) Walbridge of Naples, FL and Barbara Cotta of Dover, NH; ten grandchildren, five step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Mr. Hawley is predeceased by his first wife, Ellen Hawley and he is a brother of the late Elizabeth Fancher, Nancy Richter and Warren Hawley.
Family and friends may call on Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home, 403 East Main Street, Batavia. Services will be at 10:00 a.m. on Friday at St. James Episcopal Church, 405 East Main Street, Batavia. A reception will be held at the conclusion of the funeral in the fellowship hall of the church. Private burial with Full Military Honors will be at Grandview Cemetery in Batavia.
Memorials may be made to the New York State Veterans Home, Attention: Activities Fund, 220 Richmond Ave., Batavia, NY 14020 or Batavia Rotary Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 347, Batavia, NY 14021-0347.
Please leave a condolence, share a story or light a candle in Mr. Hawley’s memory at www.bataviafuneralhomes.com.
