"He was a good businessman who loved to cut a deal but was always very fair.
"He always used to say 'good things come to good people'."
Born in Motueka, he moved to Whangarei with his mother and three brothers at primary school age and attended Ngunguru School and Tikipunga High School.
His first job was delivering telegrams on bicycle and later did various other jobs, including painting and planting pine trees.
The Hawkinses got married in 1984 and went on many overseas trips together.
Mrs Hawkins said the seven years they spent travelling around the world were among their best times, especially the seven months on a motorcycle through India, Nepal, Tibet, Vietnam, and China.
A devout rugby player, Mr Hawkins played for Ngunguru where his uncle donated farmland towards the building of a sports complex.
He quit playing about three years ago after participating in the Golden Oldies tournament in Sydney where he played halfback for the Whangarei Old Boys' side.
Mr Hawkins' other passions included fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling and skiing.
Mr Hawkins and Kevin Jones started working together at Harrisons Carpet One about 20 years ago and became co-owners five years later.
"He was a straight talker, an honest and happy guy who enjoyed life," Mr Jones said.
Mr Jones also played in the Golden Oldies' tournament.
New Zealand Chambers of Commerce Northland chief executive Tony Collins said Mr Hawkins was active in the business community and a strong advocate of Whangarei being a great place to live and work in.
"He was an example of how you can be hooked to a national franchise and still manage to contribute to your local community," he said.
"He was always very positive about Whangarei, was a good and accepting person and he knew his community very well."
Mr Collins said at 53, the businessman was still young and had left behind a wonderful family.
Mr Hawkins will be buried at Ngunguru Cemetery tomorrow after a celebration of his life at the Bethlehem Chapel of Newberry's Funeral Home in Whau Valley at 1pm.
