Passing of a Sun Prairie Band Pioneer

Ray Hawkinson passed away Friday, May 30, 2008, in Clearwater, Florida.  Mr. Hawkinson was the band director at Sun Prairie High School from 1966-1978.  He was one week short of his 73^rd birthday.

Ray Hawkinson came to Sun Prairie High School in the fall of 1966 after a stint of teaching High School band in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Mr. Hawkinson graduated from St. Norbert College, in DePere, Wisconsin.

He inherited a program of 66 band musicians and immediately went to work expanding the program. Mr. Hawkinson started the summer marching program in Sun Prairie by taking the band to compete in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, in the spring of 1971. The trip was so successful that he joined the Midwest competitive marching circuit the next year as the “Marching Cardinals.” This also necessitated the formation of the first “Sun Prairie Band Boosters” and the appointment of the first Band Booster President, John Bogle, in the fall of 1971.

Mr. Hawkinson created and hosted the first “Flags of Freedom Band Rally” in 1972. In 1972, Hawkinson received an invitation to perform at the prestigious “Festival of States” national marching band competition held in St. Petersburg, Florida. The band placed fourth in this national marching band competition. In 1976, the marching band earned the title of Grand Champion at the Rock Falls Midwest National Band Competition.

Under Hawkinson’s direction, the size and scope of the Sun Prairie High School band program grew immensely. The student membership more than doubled, the concert band received consistent first division ratings in class A, the groundwork for the modern version of the marching band was created, “Flags of Freedom,” the “Sun Prairie Band Boosters” and “Band O Rama” all came into existence with Hawkinsons’ guidance.  Mr. Hawkinson also lobbied for expanded band staffing which grew from 2 band directors district-wide to 6.

Mr. Hawkinson resigned his position at Sun Prairie High School in the spring of 1978 and moved to Florida. He had taught 12 eventful years in the Sun Prairie School District and laid the groundwork for the program that we enjoy today.