Eleanor Evangeline Brown Hawes

A lifelong Kansan, Eleanor Evangeline Brown Hawes was born at home in Pleasant Valley Township to Viola Estella Hensley Brown and Hiram Herschel Brown on May 10, 1933. She died at her daughter’s home in Prairie Village on November 11, 2025, at the age of 92.

The 9th of 12 children, Eleanor was thrilled to work with her father from an early age. He entrusted her with driving wheat trucks, combines and tractors, but her first real job was at the Bucklin Sale Barn, where she counted both cattle and money beginning at age 15. In summer, she made bread and put it in the oven before she left for work in the fields. Eleanor was a proud Bulldog at Ford High School where she dominated on the first Ford girls’ basketball team, won a state tennis championship and enjoyed being a cheerleader. After graduation, she worked in Dodge City at W.W. Virtue Dry Goods Store and Eckles Department Store, as well as at the Palace Drug Store.

Eleanor married Wardlow Kay Hawes in 1952, and they enjoyed flyfishing and visiting Yellowstone National Park each August. They worked together as business partners and ranchers until his death in 1981. Needing to support her young daughter, Eleanor then became a certified medical assistant and a realtor. Eleanor’s “retirement” job was bookkeeping at Farm Management in Dodge City. Eleanor lived on a ranch south of Dodge City for 71 years.

Eleanor did much of the research when she and her sisters entered Daughters of the American Revolution in 1976, and her knowledge and reading of World War II history was extensive. She joined the Roman Catholic Church at the age of 90, and she was proud to serve two years as the unofficial mascot of KC Attack Basketball Club.

She is survived by her sons, Tim Hawes (Mary) of Joshua Texas; Lee Hawes (Tamie) of Ford; and her daughter, Kay Hawes (Adam Keener) of Prairie Village. She also is survived by grandchildren Melissa DeWerth Rodriguez (Tom) of Hutchinson; Justin Hawes of Windber, Pennsylvania; Shanna Hawes Goodman (Aaron) of Wamego; Cody Hawes (Tawn) of Ford; Courtney Hawes Schade of Alexandria, Virgina; Rory Keener of Prairie Village; and Reagan Hawes-Keener of Prairie Village. Eleanor also has 13 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren. She is survived by a sister, Joyce Brown Nantz (Jim) of Vero Beach, Florida; and George Brown of Jetmore, along with numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by six sisters and three brothers.

Eleanor will be celebrated at the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Elizabeth Church in Kansas City, Mo., November 20, with visitation at 10 am and services beginning at 11 am. Contributions may be made in her name to the St. Elizabeth School Athletics Committee, 4 E. 75th Street, Kansas City, Mo., 64114. A brief graveside service will be held at Ford Cemetery, Ford, Ks., on Saturday, November 22 at 1 pm. Funeral arrangements are being made by Muehlebach Funeral Care of Kansas City.