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Published on 07/07/1999 All articles from this issue

E C H mourns loss of first administrator, Edwin Hawkins served for 25 years to '84

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By Clyde Noel

Special to the Town Crier

Edwin Hawkins wanted to come to a place where he could settle down and stay. He was hired as the first administrator of El Camino Hospital and remained its chief executive for 25 years until his 1984 retirement.

On June 25, Mr. Hawkins returned to El Camino for a minor problem and died of a stroke in the hospital he loved.

Mr. Hawkins, a native of Dawson, Texas, was 78.

A special service honoring and remembering him was held June 29 in the back of the El Camino Hospital Cafeteria.

"The last time these rooms were this full was when we fought to get our hospital back," said Dr. Dominick Curatola, president of the El Camino District Board. "This is a tribute and an honor to the man we loved. He introduced the hospital culture we have today at El Camino."

Three weeks ago, the board passed a resolution commending Hawkins for his years of service. The board also named a new district board room, "The R. Edwin Hawkins Room," in his honor. Although Hawkins did not live to see the project completed, he knew about the resolution and said he was deeply honored.

Dr. Paul Hoar, a district board member, said the district set aside $4 million for the retirees who were not covered under the hospital's present retirement plan.

"Ed's accomplishments over the years are too numerous to mention," said Billy Russell, former chairman and 36-year member of the El Camino Hospital District Board.

"He was a perfect match for the job. He brought everyone together and established protocol once the hospital opened on Sept. 1, 1961."

"We met this smooth-talking Texan in June of '58 when we had our first official meeting with the provisional medical staff," said Dr. Benson McGann, on the organizing committee for El Camino Hospital and a former chief of staff.

"He outlined his goals and told us about the work that had to be done ... He was always concerned about the quality of care for the patients, and his goal was to have a nationally recognized hospital. The recognition came numerous times when the hospital was included in the top 100 in the nation," he said.

Mr. Hawkins was a graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas and Northwestern University in Chicago.

Before moving to Los Altos in 1958, he held administrator positions at hospitals in Valpariso, Ind., and Louisville, Ky.

He was a member of the Los Altos Rotary Club, the American College of Hospital Administrators, the Association of Western Hospitals and the Association of California Hospital Districts.

He is survived by his wife, Laphalene Hawkins of Los Altos; son Dr. John Hawkins of Lafayette; daughters Carol Gast of Portland, Ore., and Jenny Martin of San Jose; sisters Ala Mae Carrel of Arlington, Texas; and Beatrice Fagala of Deer Park, Texas; and four grandchildren.

The family suggests donations in memory of Mr. Hawkins may be made to the El Camino Hospital Foundation for the Hawkins/Snead Education Fund, 2500 Grant Road, Mountain View 94040.