Obituary for Nancy Sue Hawkins
Nancy Sue Hawkins, a beloved wife, mother, nana, church member, and friend, passed
away with her family by her side, leaving a legacy of love, compassion, and strength. Born
in Logan, WV to the late James and Beulah Hurley. She was preceded in death by her
sisters Vicki Millins and Winford Ollis. She will be remembered for her kind heart, gentle
spirit, and unwavering dedication to those she cherished.
Nancy devoted her life to her family, faith, and nursing, always placing others before
herself. She met her husband, Michael, during the early years of her nursing career at St.
Luke's Hospital, where their 45-year love story began. They were united in marriage on
August 9, 1980, beginning a lifelong partnership rooted in love, faith, and devotion.
Following their marriage, they were blessed with two daughters, Mary Beth Burgess and
Jayme Hawkins, whom they raised surrounded by love and Christ-like values. Nancy took
great joy in nurturing her family, guiding them with patience, wisdom, and a steadfast
example of faith.
Nancy devoted herself to nursing and gave selflessly to every patient she cared for. Over
the course of 43 years, she faithfully served her community through her work in healthcare.
She began her career in 1974 at the old St. Luke's Hospital. During her tenure, she held
several positions including staff nurse, special care unit head nurse, shift supervisor,
nurse manager, and infection control nurse.
In 1996, Nancy chose to share her knowledge and passion by becoming a nurse educator
for the LPN program at Mercer County Technical Education Center, where she taught
alongside her best friend, Sandra Thompson. She found great joy in mentoring future
nurses and shaping the next generation of caregivers. She completed her nursing career at
Bluefield Regional Medical Center, where she served as a nursing supervisor and nurse
manager on 3 South.
Nancy's remarkable career was recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 1982,
she was named the Humana Nursing Excellence Award winner. In 2000, she was
recognized as the West Virginia Post Secondary Health Occupations Students of America
Advisor of the Year. She was further honored in 2004 as Health Occupations Teacher of the
Year, and in 2010 as Mercer County Technical Education Center Teacher of the Year. These
accolades reflected not only her skill and dedication, but the deep respect she earned
from colleagues and students alike.
Her calling as a nurse reflected her servant's heart, as she cared for others with
compassion and kindness throughout her life. Nancy's faith was central to who she was,
and her presence in her church and community touched many lives.
She will be deeply missed by her husband, Michael; daughters, Mary Beth (Erick) Burgess
and Jayme (Adrea) Hawkins; her grandchildren; Natalie, Ashton(Carley), Zoey, Kaden, Liam
and James; extended family; and many dear friends and colleagues. Though she is no
longer with us, her love, faith, and gentle spirit will continue to live on in the hearts of all
who knew her.
The family would like to extend a grateful thank you to Dr. Todd Smith and wife Jacinda for
his many years of care with Nancy. She held a deep respect for his guidance. Along with
the staff of Princeton Community Hospital and Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Visitation for friends and family will be held on Monday June 8, 2026, from 11-1 at First
Baptist Church in Bluefield, WV with a service following. Burial to be directly after at
Grandview Memory Gardens.