Elsie Riser Hawkins

Mrs. Elsie Riser Hawkins, 99, passed away Tuesday, March 10, 2020 at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland. Visitation is 12 noon until 1:45 pm Friday, March 13, 2020 at Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Brandon. Services are 2 pm Friday at the funeral home with interment in Floral Hills Memory Gardens in Pearl. Rev. Dennis Ellingburg will officiate.

Mrs. Hawkins is a native of Forest, MS and has resided in the Jackson area for 38 years. She attended school in Forest, MS and then studied nursing at Mississippi Baptist Hospital where she met and married her husband – Paul B. Hawkins – on 10/15/43. She completed graduate work at Baylor, LSU & Tulane Universities. She was a very caring and professional nurse and her patients always came first. Whatever she was doing in patient care, she was dedicated to that person’s well-being. She left Baptist for a stint at Mississippi State Hospital and then became a state health nurse traveling to different areas where children needed immunizations, but no way to get them. She eventually decided to stay closer to home more and became the Director of Nursing at Crossgate Manor Nursing Home (now Brandon Nursing & Rehab) until returning to the state as a health inspector for hospitals and nursing homes to make sure that they were “up to code”.

Mrs. Hawkins is a lifetime member of Truitt Memorial Baptist Church and was a ladies’ Sunday school teacher for many years. She loved her simple country life and was not one to put on airs for anyone. She loved gardening and fishing and always had such a beautiful front yard with all the different flowers. She loved to just walk through the yard and tell you about all the plants – she’d rather be outside than in. She had an extreme work ethic and enthusiasm for everything she did.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 38 years - Paul, her parents Jimmy & Effie Riser of Forest, sister, Christine Duncan of Pearl, brothers James Riser of Ocean Springs,Joe Riser of Forest and William Riser of Forest. She is also preceded by two nieces, three nephews and a son-in-law.

She is survived by a daughter – Nancy Magee, a son – Paul D. Hawkins (Renee), two granddaughters – Erin Aguilar (Aramis) & Paige Smith (Justin) , grandson – Brian Hawkins (Tiffany), great-grandsons, Blaine Smith, Brayden Smith, Aramis Aguilar and Tripp Hawkins, great-granddaughters, Remi Aguilar and Addison Hawkins along with several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Truitt Memorial Baptist Church with the designation of your choice or American Heart Institute.