Clifford William Hawk, formerly of Effingham, passed away on August 13, 2020, at the Apostolic Christian Home in Sabetha, Kansas.

A memorial service will be Sunday, September 13, 2020, at 2:00 P.M. at Highland Community College in the new Ag Building, masks and social distancing are required. Per Clifford’s wishes, in lieu of flowers memorial contributions are suggested to help set up a Scholarship Fund in Clifford’s name (please make checks payable to Clifford Hawk Memorial) and may be left in care of the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left at
www.arensbergpruett.com .

Clifford was born August 13, 1955, at the Atchison Hospital, the son of Wilson and Wilma (Cormode) Hawk. The family ran in auction service and sale barn with Registered Suffolk sheep.

This was Clifford‘s passion as he studied pedigrees and exhibited sheep in Missouri and Kansas with his favorite being the Atchison County Fair. He was known by many as a “sheep nut”. He was a member of the American Society of Animal Science, a Certified Animal Science member being certified in animal nutrition and sheep production, four National sheep associations,

Kansas National Education Association, a lifetime member of the Highland Community College Alumni Association and Atchison County Fair association serving on the fair board and was a sheep superintendent for over 20 years.

He graduated from ACCHS in 1973, attended Highland Community College and graduated with an Associate of Science degree in 1975, Missouri Western State College graduating with a BS in Animal Science and BS in Agronomy in 1977, attended the University of Missouri to begin his Master’s and do research on phosphate sources in sheep minerals and milk replacer formulation for orphan lambs. He completed a MS in Agriculture Education from Kansas State University in 1979. He obtain additional credits over the next 35 years from KSU, Ottawa, Baker, UNL, and Fort Hays State University accumulating over 235 credit hours. He spent the next 39 years teaching at Highland Community College where he developed their ag curriculum, started their ag club, taught classes, and served on numerous committees. He is credited with teaching over 1,000 ag students and having approved the first Ag Computer class in the state of Kansas by the Kansas Department of Education. He authored a work manual on Agriculture Use for the Microcomputer. In fall of 2019 he was recognized by the faculty, administration and HCC Board and was named Faculty Emeritus. His other passion was raising sheep and for many years; he sheared sheep during his breaks. He enjoyed buying feeder lambs and raise to market weight to resale.

Survivors include three sisters, Saralee (Daniel) Sanchez, Harlingen, Texas, Melody (Walter) Elsworth, Pretty Prairie, Kansas, Traci (Bill) Rahe, Morrill, Kansas.

He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant sister, Clara Pauline Hawk.