Phil was born in Whiteson on Sept. 1, 1931. He attended Amity High School in Amity where his teams won state titles in football and basketball. He was later inducted into the Amity High School Hall of Fame. After high school, Phil attended Oregon State University, where he graduated with a degree in Agricultural Education. There he met and married the love of his life for 62 years, Grace Ardele Firestone. After graduation, he joined the United States Air Force, where he served as a pilot for 12 years, retiring with the rank of major.
After leaving the military, Phil and Ardele bought a small farm outside of Dayton, Oregon. Together, they grew a diverse number of crops and a family of five children: Susan, Karen, Linda, Mike, and Judy. The farm grew with time and 29 years later, it encompassed 1,200 irrigated acres. Phil was also very involved in the Dayton community. He served as President of the Dayton School Board, Director of Norpac, director of the Oregon and Washington Vegetable Growers Association, and was recognized by the FFA for his service to the organization.
In 1982, Phil and Ardele moved the farm to Hermiston, Oregon. They were enticed by center pivot irrigation and encouraged to move by their son, Mike, who was attending Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon. The move was a success. Phil has been recognized six times as one of the best corn growers in the United States. He also developed a new variety of perennial ryegrass seed, labeled “Pavillion,” and marketed internationally. Phil spent the last several years of his farming career championing the growing of grass seed in the Columbia Basin and has been instrumental in making the crop a thriving option for growers in the region. Farming was Phil’s passion, and he greatly enjoyed working the land. He was inducted into the Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences Hall of Fame in 2005.
Phil was also very involved in the Hermiston community. He served as a member of the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce, Vice Chair of the Hermiston Fire Department, and on the advisory Committee of the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Phil was always willing to help a neighbor or someone in need.
Most importantly, Phil was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He is survived by his loving wife, Ardele; five children, Susan Karschnia of Richland, Wash., Karen Blunck of Canby, Linda Von Borstel of Grass Valley, Mike Hawman of Hermiston, and Judy Von Borstel, Grass Valle; his brother, Eric Hawman of Schavmburg, Ill.; 16 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and two-to-be great-grandchildren.
Phil was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Georgia Hawman; and sisters, Joyce Rawlings and Artyce Hawman.
A graveside service with military honors will be held on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015 at 1 p.m. at the Hermiston Cemetery.
A celebration of life service will follow at 2 p.m. at the Hermiston Church of the Nazarene.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Hermiston Fire District or the BMCC Irrigation Project directly or c/o Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, P.O. Box 289, Hermiston, OR 97838.
Please sign the condolence book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
