Kathryn Hawk Belew

Kathryn Hawk Belew, 85, died Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Walter Jerrell Belew; parents, Clifford and Pearl (Headley) Hawk; and brother, Robert (Phyllis) Hawk of Russellville, AR.

She leaves five children, Jerry (Anita) Belew of Trumann, Teresa (John Sproles) Belew of Little Rock, Robert (Mary) Belew of Saltillo, Miss., Rebecca (Michael) Burrier of Mountain View, and Carrie (Scott) Fraley of Earle; along with 14 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, four great-great grandchildren, 13 nephews and 16 nieces to continue her legacy. She was the first of 11 children and is survived by nine including Dorothy Keller of Jonesboro, Cliffene Hawk of Columbia, Mo., Linda Gipson of Paragould, Norma Tharp of Nashville, Tenn., Nina Hawk of Nashville, Tenn., Helen Hawk of Hendersonville, Tenn., Dennis Hawk of Kissimmee, Fla., Mike Hawk of Apache Junction, Ariz., Rick Hawk of Nashville, Tenn. Kathy’s life was spent in faithfulness to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in loving sacrifice for her children and family and in service of others. She was a lifelong student and teacher of God’s word through Bible Study Fellowship, church work, and ministry to the deaf as a member of First Baptist Church of Little Rock and later at Sylvan Hills First Baptist Church. Upon learning her son, Jerry, was deaf, she insisted on moving the family to Little Rock from Lawrence County to ensure that Jerry could live at home instead of being institutionalized, as was custom, at the Arkansas School for the Deaf. This became an important part of her service to others and upon returning to Lawrence County years later, the family donated property and she volunteered in support of the Lawrence County Exceptional School. Kathy loved music, playing the piano and singing. She joined her husband and others to form a regionally-popular gospel quartet known as “The Sunlighters”. She was a founding member of Crossroads Baptist Church in Portia and served faithfully for many years as a Sunday School teacher, pianist and janitor. She called herself a homemaker but she also stepped out into the career world where she worked at Williams Baptist College for 13 years, was a beekeeper and a disc jockey for a local gospel radio program. She loved going to Gulf Shores with family and spent happy days with children playing in the sand and combing the beaches.

A celebration of her life will be Wednesday, Jan. 8, at Crossroads Baptist Church in Portia, with Pastor Mike Frost officiating. The family will begin receiving visitors at 10 a.m. and service is at 11 a.m. Burial will follow in Lawrence Memorial Park under the direction of Howard Funeral Service of Leachville.

Pallbearers include Chris Applegate, Adam Belew, Jerry Belew, Mike Burrier, Scott Fraley, Jason Gipson, Mike Hawk, Rick Hawk, Gary Mossburg, Jonathan Nettles and John Sproles.

The family has requested memorials to the Arkansas School for the Deaf Foundation (www.asd-foundation.com) in lieu of flowers. Friends may sign the online guest register at www.HowardFuneralService.com.