Name Unknown

James William "Bill" Hankins, 85, of Sullivan died at 5:00 a.m. Thursday, August 16, 2007 in his residence. The 1940 graduate of Sullivan High School was born May 22, 1922 in Shelburn to James A. Hankins and Eva Marie Buckley Hankins. Bill and his family owned and operated the Hankins Grocery Store on North Section until his retirement in 1985. He served forty one months in the U.S. Army during WWII and was a sixty nine year member of the Sullivan First United Methodist Church. He was a member of the Sullivan American Legion since 1946, the Sullivan Masonic Lodge, the Sullivan County Shrine Club, the Scottish Rite, the Zorah Shrine Temple, the Sullivan Elks Club and the Rinky Dinks Golf Team . He was preceded in death by his parents, infant twin sons William Thomas Hankins and James David Hankins and one sister Mary Frances Harding.

Survivors include his wife of sixty years Ellen Lorene Smith Hankins of Sullivan whom he married November 16, 1946, one daughter Janet Ellen Hays and her husband Larry of Sullivan, two sisters Margaret Dale Hankins Dietz of St. Clairsville, OH and Kathryn Rose Hankins Zeabart of Vincennes, two grandchildren Carmen Michelle Hays Gofourth and her husband Tom of Sullivan and Craig Andrew Hays of Indianapolis, three great grandchildren Kennedy Gofourth, Korinne Gofourth and Kaycee Gofourth and other relatives.

Services were at 11:00 a.m. Monday, August 20, 2007 at the Holmes Memorial Chapel. Rev. Dan Sinkhorn officiated. Burial with military graveside rites by the Sullivan, Shelburn and Hymera American Legions and the Sullivan VFW was in the Center Ridge Cemetery. Pallbearers were Craig Hays, Tom Gofourth, Tom Smith, Mike McKinley, Tom Johnson and David Patterson. Honorary pallbearers were Bob Lowry, Tom Lowry, Dennis Walters, Dennis Holycross, Wendell Harris, Joe Burris and Jim Hartman.