Ellis Leroy (Lee) Hawk, Jr., 86,  and Sarah Jane Hawk, 84, died together Friday afternoon on November 2nd in an automobile accident that occurred near their residence at the Willow Valley Retirement Community south of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They had been married 62 years.

Lee was born in Seymour, Indiana on March 24, 1926. He was the son of the late Edna (Linke) and Ellis L. Hawk, Sr. During his childhood, his father's job transferred their family through several mid-west towns.  In 1944, he graduated from high school and entered the U.S. Army Air Corps.  He served stateside with the 3701 ^st Army Air Force in Amarillo, Texas and was trained as an aircraft mechanic for B-17's and B-29's.

Sarah was born December 21, 1927 in Akron, Ohio. She was the daughter of the late Gladys (Hendrix) and Reed Parent, and spent most of her childhood in Columbus, Ohio.

They met at Ohio State University where Lee studied Chemical Engineering and Sarah studied Commercial Art. Lee was a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Fraternity and the Theta Chi Fraternity. They married after graduation on June 10, 1950 in Columbus, Ohio.

Most of their working years were spent in Wilmington, Delaware, where they were members of Grace Methodist Church. Lee was a Chemical Engineer with Hercules Inc, and engineering director at Himont.  He traveled at a time when few businessmen traveled overseas and was able to cultivate relationships with counterparts from a variety of different cultures. He helped establish polypropylene plants in Germany, Bulgaria, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, Brazil and Italy.  When Lee traveled the world for his career, Sarah would sometimes travel with him.  Sarah got to see the art in color and in person that she studied in college.

Sarah worked many years as a tour guide at the Hagley Museum in Wilmington. She was a volunteer at the Palmer School, an inner city school in Wilmington, and was also involved with the Grace Church pre-kindergarten serving on the board and as treasurer.

After retiring, they moved to the Willow Valley Retirement Center in Lancaster where they made many new friends among that incredible community. Lee enjoyed participating in the Readers Theater, while Sarah resumed her interest in watercolor painting and knitting. Together they enjoyed traveling, bird watching, and participating in Elderhostel programs around the world. They also enjoyed researching their genealogies, reading history and discussing current events. They were members of the First Presbyterian Church.

Sarah and Lee are survived by Sarah's brother Stanley Parent and his wife Bonnie of Willow Valley Lee's sister Elinor Spellerberg, wife of the late Honorable Thomas Spellerberg, Esq of Tiffin, Ohio;; their sons David Hawk of Landenberg, PA, and his wife Patricia Beitel; Chilton Hawk of Salt Lake City UT, and his wife Robin; and Alan Hawk of Monrovia, MD, and his wife Cindy. They especially cherished their three grandchildren: Robert Hawk, Laura Hawk and Matthew Hawk.

Memorial Services will be held for Lee and Sarah at 11 AM on Thursday, November 8, 2012 at the First Presbyterian Church, 140 East Orange Street, Lancaster, PA 17602 with Rev. Don Hackett officiating. Family and friends will be received from 10-11 AM at the church. Interment is private. Parking is available at the corner of Duke Street & Chestnut Street and also on East King Street at the Parking Garages.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Lee and Sarah's names to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Hawk Mountain Road, Kempton, PA 19529 or to Amnesty International USA, 5 Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10001. To send the family online condolences, please visit SnyderFuneralHome.com. Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home & Crematory 717-393-9661