Doug was born on May 22, 1932 to Floyd and Arkie Smith Hawkins in Oakland, Arkansas. The family moved to the Mountain Home area in the 1940s. Doug attended Mountain Home High School, graduating in 1950. He started college at Arkansas Tech in Russellville that fall. In 1952, he transferred to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He graduated in 1954 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering.
At this time, Compulsory Military Service was in effect, so Doug received a deferment to finish college. Upon graduation, he was hired by the Soil Conservation Service in June of 1954, in Newport, Arkansas. With his draft number coming up, Doug tested for Officer Training and joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1955. After training at Quantico, Doug was assigned to Pensacola, Florida to attend flight school. He received his wings the following March, having trained in both fixed wing and helicopters.
Doug’s next assignment for two years was the Marine Corps Air Facility in New River, North Carolina. In February, 1959, he was honorably discharged from active duty. Doug returned to Arkansas and to his job with the Soil Conservation Service (SCS). First, he worked in the Pine Bluff office doing watershed planning, and in February 1963, he joined the Conservation Office in Little Rock. His next assignment was in Gainesville, Florida as State Engineer. A 2-year assignment in Atlanta with the Environmental Protection Agency followed. In 1980, Doug was back with the SCS in Raleigh, North Carolina. Three more moves followed, to Washington DC, then to Dover Delaware as State Conservationist, and then back to Washington DC where he retired as Assistant Director of Engineering.
Doug married Joan Ruth Small on August 4, 1956. His daughter Kelly Elizabeth was born in November 1959. He is survived by his wife Joan, his daughter Kelly Carnes, son-in-law Nathan Carnes, and his grandchildren Jason and Haley Carnes. He also is survived by his sister LaRue Wyatt, and brother Dwain Hawkins, and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his older brother Floyd Junior, his Father Floyd, his mother Arkie, and his sister Sue.
Services will be held at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, May 10, 2017, in the Davis-Smith Funeral Home Chapel, Glenwood.
Visitation will be Tuesday, 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM, at the funeral home.
Interment with military honors will be in Mount Tabor Cemetery.
Guest registry is at www.davis-smith.com.
