Beatrice Irene Gunter Hawley

Beatrice Irene Gunter Hawley peacefully passed away on Wednesday December 23 at Aiken Regional Hospital after a protracted battle with cancer.

Irene was born on February 19, 1945 in Aiken, South Carolina to Treshman Capers “TC” Gunter and Iris Irene Gunter. She was the oldest of 9 children, seven sisters and one brother. She graduated from Pelion High School in 1963 and from Berry College in Rome, Georgia in 1967 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

For 33 years Irene was a dedicated and valued teacher of English and French at Blissfield High School in Blissfield, Michigan. She was their first French teacher and over the course of her career started their French Club and organized and led over 20 student trips to Europe. 

Irene was the President of the Cedar Creek Chapter of the Red Hats Society, an organization dedicated to changing women’s lives as well as a member of the Georgia chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, a service sorority dedicated to the promotion of continuing education and to altruistic activities that make a positive difference. She was also past president and a member of the Pink Ribbonettes, a local support group dedicated to helping breast cancer survivors and the newly diagnosed.

Irene was a loving and caring wife, mother, sister, daughter, aunt and friend. She was married to Garry Hawley for 47 years and is survived by him. Garry still resides in Aiken, South Carolina.

Irene is also survived by her daughter Heidi in San Diego, California, her son and daughter-in-law Scott and Lisa in Clare, Michigan, her grandsons Ian and Jake in Michigan, her sisters and their husbands Elva Randall, Annette and Laston Poole, Rae Boswell, Val and Sidney Tharp, Nancy and Martin Tharp and Oranda and Jerry Taylor in South Carolina, all of her nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her mother Iris, father TC, brother Julian Treshman “JT” and sister Juanita.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday December 29, at 1 pm at Blizzard Funeral Home in Wagener, South Carolina. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to either the American Cancer Society, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or plant a tree in her memory. The tree planting service is available at www.blizzardfuneralhome.com.

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