Bruce R. Hawkins, LFD, Supervisor

Bruce R. Hawkins was born in Philadelphia to the late Frederick C. Hawkins Sr. and the late Margaret Rosell Hawkins. His father was the first African-American post office superintendent in Philadelphia. His mother was an Art Superintendent for the Camden public school system, as well as the founder of the Links, Inc., a prestigious and charitable women’s organization.

Bruce worked in and around the funeral business as a teenager at the James L. Hawkins Funeral Home in South Philadelphia. James was his father’s brother and Bruce’s uncle. After attending Cheyney State University, he completed McAllister Institute of Mortuary Science in New York. He became a Licensed Funeral Director in the state of Pennsylvania and later worked with his family at the Julian V. Hawkins Funeral Home in West Philadelphia.

On July 1, 1983 Bruce opened the Bruce R. Hawkins Funeral Home on Old York Road in the East Oak lane section of the city. Over 30 years later, he continues to realize his dream of servicing the greater Philadelphia and suburban communities with sensitivity, caring and professionalism. There have been many people along the way that have been an integral part of his journey. He is very proud of his staff, several of whom are relatives, and values each member of his team. Bruce has been honored on numerous occasions for his commitment to servicing the community by several churches, the Quaker City Funeral Directors, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, to name a few. As he looks towards the future, he will continue to live and practice his business motto: “Professional Service When Service Is Needed Most.”

From the time she was a baby, Melanie’s parents had her involved in some aspect of the funeral business. From being featured on the business cards to singing at funerals to passing out programs and reading obituaries, it was inevitable that she would follow in her family’s legacy. After graduating from Spelman College with a BA in Economics, she attended Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Lithonia, GA and received her Associate’s in Funeral Service. She returned to Pennsylvania to complete her licensing and remains an vital part of the family business. She also holds an MBA in Organizational Management from Drexel University, and resides in the area with her husband Redmond, and their two children, Grant and Isabella.

Edward K. Gethers joined the Bruce R. Hawkins family in the fall of 2013 as a funeral service intern. Graduating from Mercer County Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Mortuary Science, Edward became a licensed funeral director in 2016. He received a BS in Psychology from Rutgers University. Edward’s passion is helping families through one of the most difficult times in their lives. He resides in New Jersey along with his wife Pamela and son Ethan.