Alberta Hawn

Alberta Work Krafft Hawn, 104, passed away peacefully on December 12, 2014, in Murrieta, California.

Born Alberta Halcie Walker on October 20, 1910, she was the fifth daughter of Frank and Clara (McCullough) Walker of Paton, Iowa, and the widow of Bill Work, John Krafft, and Doug Hawn.

After graduating from Paton High School, she moved to Des Moines, Iowa where she attended the 4 C’s Business College and later became an Executive Secretary at the Great Western Insurance Company. In 1954, she and her husband Bill Work left Des Moines, Iowa for San Gabriel, California. She was an avid gardener, growing exquisite roses and gardenias, and had a full orchard. When Mr. Work died, she married John Krafft. He was a golfer, and they purchased one of the original lots in Leisure World in Laguna Woods, California, where they lived together until Mr. Krafft’s death. Later, while Alberta attended her high school reunion in Paton, she reconnected with Doug Hawn, her teenage sweetheart, who had left Paton High School. As he was a widower and she a widow, love again bloomed; they were married, and remained together until her death in 2004.

All through her life, Alberta loved traveling; Hawaii, New Zealand and Alaska were among her favorites. She also visited all 50 state capitals and returned many times to the farm in Iowa where she was born. In 2008, Alberta moved to Atria Vintage Hills, living near her relatives in Temecula, California. She recently celebrated her 104th birthday, with friends and relatives from across the country, at the South Coast Winery where she enjoyed a mimosa. Alberta was always gracious, so when asked for her secret to a long life she was quick with a reply, “Have a piece of pie every day!”  Weeks before her death, Alberta told her grand nephew David, “I’ve lived a great life, and I have nothing to regret.”

Alberta was preceded in death by her four sisters, Evelyn, Blanche, Bernice and Iola. Although Alberta never had children, she is survived by her nieces Beverly Carlson of Temecula, California and Annette Knoepfler of Williamsburg, Virginia; grand-nephews and grand-nieces David Carlson and his wife Karrie, of Temecula, California; Julie Brooks and her husband Ron, of Sandusky, Ohio; William Doughman and his wife Nancy, of Albertville, Minnesota; James Doughman and his wife Heej, of Wilton, Connecticut; Thomas Doughman and his wife Lori, of Sherwood, Wisconsin; Amy Vinton and her husband Brian, of Kearney, Nebraska; Sarah Knoepfler of Alexandria, Virginia; and Robert Knoepfler and his wife Tawnya, of Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Additionally she is survived by her great-grand nieces and nephews: Kacey and Kelsey Carlson, Mariah and Hannah Doughman, Margaret and Katherine Vinton, Ryan and Alexander Doughman, and Charles Knoepfler.

All who knew her, including many friends and caregivers, will miss Alberta. She participated in the 90+ Study through the University of California at Irvine, and donated her body to science at UCI. Just as she always thought of others during her lifetime, she continued to be concerned for others, even in death.