Joan Hawkins-Robbins

Joan (Heyne) Hawkins-Robbins, 76. Born Joan Bernice Heyne on June 11, 1939, in Dixon. She went on to collect the last names: Hawkins, Holm and Robbins. She was clearly attractive to the fellas. Like bees to honey they were drawn to her cute figure, winning smile and rah, rah cheerleader personality.

Sandpoint boy Will Hawkins was the first suitor who took her hand, marrying in September, 1960.  They settled on family property at the north end of Lake Pend Oreille and had three kids. Her first, Mitzi, slept in a drawer as a baby; money was a bit tight in their little log cabin. Nikki came along to better digs (getting the whole dresser) as they built a richer life and the cabin evolved.  Last but certainly not least, her son Bill completed the package and enjoyed the spoiled life of not only the youngest but also the only boy.

Joan loved to entertain. The life of and creator of the party; Jo didn’t follow trends, she made them. Out with traditional Christmas turkey dinner in favor of a Dungeness crab for everyone, gussied up and served atop her eclectic pottery plates. Mongolian hot pots, embracer of fondue parties (the one trend), the annual Sunnyside Jog and Grog all added up to people wanting to be invited to the merry-making. Joan instilled her joy of gourmet cooking in her kids.  They often played sous chefs (and bussers) while listening to the conversations of the interesting guests (including Sir Edmond Hillary) she gathered to her famous rock table.

When not entertaining at her home in Sunnyside, if there was a dance floor, she was on it. Wearing a signature pair from her collection of earrings, she would jitterbug and two-step with one of the many lucky enough to be her partner.  She also loved hotels. While she probably endured rather than embraced the family camping trips and trail rides known as north Idaho vacations, she really adored hotels.  Her preferred escapes typically involved a concierge, warm beaches and sunny climates with her girlfriends.

Joan had a 30-year career at the Sandpoint Post Office. She was the neat lady at the window who always smiled, called you by name, and asked about you.  So neat that Post Master Norm Robbins (still kicking) asked her to marry him once the working gig was up.  And with Norm, so began Jo’s 20 year love-hate relationship with the game of golf.

Thanks to the addition of her fabulous son-in-law Eric and beautiful daughter-in-law Beth, Joan was also the fun-loving grandma to six grandchildren: Dalton, Max, Delaina, Riley, Caroline and Will. Jo-Jo spoiled them with homemade pie for breakfast and dancing lessons with a few of her cheerleading moves thrown in (sans the backflips).

Joan is also survived by two of her six siblings. Sandra Nelson and Bud Heyne remember her as spoiled and happy.  Her mother Marianne made her poodle skirts and counseled her to not combine the colors pink and black nor pierce her ears, both kind of trashy. Joan learned to get along with everyone as her father Casey followed his construction career throughout the Northwest. The family moved a grand total of 14 times before she was 16 years of age. With that she learned to make friends quickly and often. When they landed in Clark Fork, Idaho, she found lifelong pals including her best friends forever Pat Bresnahan (Maxwell) and Bill Coldsnow.

Joan passed away on July 24, 2015 from complications of dementia. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to Bonner General Health Community Hospice, 520 N. Third, Sandpoint 83864 and/or Bonner Community Food Bank, 1707 Culvers Ave., Sandpoint, ID 83864

A celebratory Sunnyside Jog and Grog will be held at the Hawkins beach in Sunnyside on Saturday September 5, at 10 a.m. Details will follow.