Dean Hawver

William “Dean” Hawver, 89, passed away on December 11, 2021. An educator for life,

Mr. Hawver is mourned by his wife, Susan Hardin Swope Hawver, children Jennifer

Hawver Joyce, Ken Hawver (Carolyn) and family, and Heather Swope, sister Marcia

Weinberg, and nephews Mark and Scott Weinberg and their families. His extended

family also includes the siblings of Mrs. Hawver, Kathleen Hardin List, Kent Hardin

(Donna), Chris Hardin (Tammy), John Hardin (Susie), and their children, all of whom

have known Dean and loved him throughout his 39-year marriage to Susan. Mr. Hawver

is predeceased in death by his parents Kenneth G. and Velma J. Hawver, and brothers-

in-law Jerry Weinberg and Steven Hardin. Also mourning Mr. Hawver are students and

teachers he educated and mentored throughout his 40 years of teaching.

Born in Lima, Ohio, Dean first matriculated to The Ohio State University to begin his

post-secondary education and enjoyed membership in the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

He received Bachelor’s degrees and Master’s Degrees from Ohio State and Kent State

Universities which well-prepared him to begin his teaching career in Euclid, Ohio. After

residing and teaching there for 11 years, Mr. Hawver was recruited by the prestigious

Park School in Indianapolis, accepting a position there in 1967 specializing in various courses  in the Sciences.   Park School and Tudor Hall, a well-known school for girls, merged in 1970, and Dean continued his teaching at Park Tudor School in advanced Science classes. Mr. Hawver

subsequently became Head of the Science Department, a position he held until his

retirement in 1996.  Among other activities, Mr. Hawver led the Key Club and the Golf team throughout his

career. He and his department were instrumental in establishing the Adventures in

Learning day excursions for school children, held in the summers for a number of years.

He also worked closely with the Park Tudor Board as its members explored and

reviewed new curricular philosophies which might benefit the Park Tudor students.

Following his vocation, Mr. Hawver had a love of the natural world and could be found

hunting for gemstones in the hills of the Carolinas, shells and remnants from the ocean

on the beaches of Florida, and crystals and geodes in southern Indiana. He collected

not for the end result but for the joy of refreshing and re-igniting passion for teaching

every day of every year. It became abundantly clear that he was a master at passing on

his love of the Sciences as many of his students took up science-based study in college

and in their career choices. In 2007 Park Tudor was the recipient of a particularly large

donation, outfitting a new Chemistry Lab, named in honor of Mr. Hawver.

At home Dean was a loving husband and father, and though a shy man by nature, he

participated in the school activities of his children as his schedule permitted. Dean

developed techniques in woodworking and refinishing which put him in good stead as a

renovator of antiques when he and his wife Susan opened their antique shop. He quietly

set about building a knowledge base in cloisonné, hand-made and natural beads and

gemstones, spending many hours designing and creating beautiful jewelry as gift items.

As educated and knowledgeable as he was, Mr. Hawver was best known for his

kindness and genuine love of life. He was truly a gentleman, and is so very profoundly

missed.  Funeral services will be at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, December 21, 2021 in the  Hampton-Gentry Funeral Home, Plainfield, where friends may call at the funeral home from  11:30 am until service time at 1:00 pm.  Burial will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery, Plainfield.                                        In lieu of flowers please feel free to make donations in his name to the charity of your

choice. Notes and remembrances can be sent to the family through Hampton Gentry

Funeral Home, 106 Shaw St., Plainfield, IN 46168, or online at www.hamptongentry.com