Delbert “Wally” Wallace Hawthorne, 74, of Topeka, KS passed away, Thursday, February 8, 2024 surrounded by his family after a long battle with a failing heart and kidney disease.

He was born in Warrensburg, MO to Harlond and Thelma (Coleman) Hawthorne on January 16, 1950. He grew up in the Leeton, MO area with a sister and brother, working on the family farm, having fun with cousins and neighborhood friends and riding his horse, Cindy.

He attended grade school at Leeton and transferred to College High in Warrensburg, MO, class 1968, so he could play football and basketball. He treasured his time there and spoke often about his dear friends and great games. He attended Central Missouri State University for two years and then joined the work force at Louie- Farm and Home and raised a few animals on a small acreage farm outside Warrensburg. Wally- two daughters, Karen and Wendy were born during his marriage to Jan Feldman. He adored those girls and devoted his life to them. They later divorced.

He met the love of his life in the summer of 1977, when Julie Beischer came to visit relatives in Warrensburg. They married on December 29, 1978 in Inglis, Manitoba Canada and moved to Holton, KS in January of 1979, where they purchased Holton Farm and Home and began to raise their family. Karen and Wendy visited often and welcomed brother, Nathaniel (Nathan) and sister, Sarah in to the family.

Wally loved his community and seeing his customers. During his life in Holton, he served on several boards and organizations including the Lion- Club, Kansas State Bank board of directors, Holton Community Hospital Board of Directors and the Wheatbelt KOMA board. His love of sports and children led him to coaching baseball and many of his son- teams and Wally was instrumental in raising funds to start the Holton High School Baseball Team.

In 2003, Wally and Julie purchased acreage outside of Holton and he raised cattle in his spare time. He loved the farm and opportunities to fish in the pond with his grandkids.

After selling hardware for over 50 years, he sold the business to the Tarwater family and they moved to Topeka, KS.

He is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Julie; children, Karen Pruitt (Jack Pittaway), Wendy Ewing (Jim Myers) and Nathan Hawthorne all of Holton, KS and Sarah Crawshaw (Nathan) of Mayetta, KS; grandchildren, Jacob and Drake Ewing (Bailey Campbell), Maggie Scheck (Cole), Macy Miller (Raley), Mary Pruitt, Jordan Glassel (Brooks), Dallas Pittaway and Rylan Pittaway, Madison Hawthorne, Andie and Cole Crawshaw; great-grandchildren, Emmett, Barrett, Blakely, June and Birdie; sister, Janis McWhirt (Bill) of Sedalia, MO and many cousins, nieces, nephews and dear friends, including Larry & Betty Cashier.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harlond and Thelma (Coleman) Hawthorne and brother, Jimmy Hawthorne.

Funeral Service will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, February 16, 2024 at the Mercer Funeral Home in Holton. Family will greet friends 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home. Memorials may be given to the Holton Ball Assoc. or Holton Community Hospital c/o Mercer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS 66436. To leave a special message for the family, please visit www.mercerfuneralhomes.com.