Obituary of Shanique Maria Hawkins

Shanique Felisha Maria Hawkins was born on January 5, 1986 in Voorhees, NJ to the late Shawn Laval Hawkins and Monica Moorman-Hawkins. As a child Shanique was busy and bossy; always moving around and into everything. She was very talkative and developed a quick wit to match. Her outgoing personality and ability to talk through any situation enabled her to win friends from Kindergarten on. Shanique attended Winslow High School and before graduating in 2004, played several sports including tennis, volleyball, and track. She was also a member of the drill team and the Government Society. Throughout her high school years and beyond, Shanique made many friends who became as close as family. She was a little firecracker who was extremely protective of the ones she loved. If she considered you a friend, she was loyal and true to the end. Her heart was pure as gold.

Upon graduating from high school, Shanique attended Omega Institute where she received a certification in Massage Therapy. However, it wasn’t until she enrolled at the Philadelphia Art Institute that she began to pursue her true passion: fashion. Like her Great Great Great Grandmother, Daisy Beatty, who was a master seamstress, Shanique had an excellent eye for fashion. As a little girl, she used to draw different fashion designs in her sketch book. As a young woman determined to pursue her dream, she used that talent to design her outfit for the Masterpiece Pageant where she won 1st Place. Shanique also designed prom dresses for students in high school. Her penchant for fashion extended into her work in the retail industry, where she excelled while working for many high-end luxury brands including BCBG, Neiman Marcus, Steve Madden, and Louis Vuitton. While small in stature, everyone knew one word to describe Shanique: Determined. Once she set her sights on a goal, she worked tirelessly to master it. After spending over 10 years in the fashion and retail industry, the closure of the Louis Vuitton store in Atlantic City, NJ ushered in the desire for a career change.

While pursuing studies at Camden County Community College, Shanique became intrigued with an unexpected industry; housing remodeling and construction. She started working with Redefined Construction and through sheer determination and grit, mastered many aspects of home construction management. Shanique’s mentors marveled at her keen attention to detail and unquenchable appetite for learning all aspects of construction. Her apprenticeship in home construction gave her the confidence to start a framing and construction business, Hawk-Moor. The company name, inspired by her late father, Uncle Carl, and mother, was a reflection of where Shanique drew strength from; her family. Shanique was extremely close with her late father, mother, sisters, niece, nephews and extended family. While she did not have the opportunity to experience the fruition of this business, her resilience, persistence, and readiness to kick down the door of the male dominated construction industry, is how she will be remembered. While the framing and construction company was her latest business, it most certainly was not her first. Shanique was a fierce and determined entrepreneur at heart. She previously owned a very successful wig and extension business, Foreignextensions4u. She also started a second business called Yummies that reflected her love for cooking and creativity with meals. Her wings were absolutely delicious. Although the pandemic brought a halt to both of those businesses, that still did not quench Shanique’s passion for being her own boss.  Shanique loved to entertain family and friends and all enjoyed her unique way of showing affection; genuine love mixed with quick humor.

Shanique was a free spirit; she loved unconditionally but gave tough love at the same time. She was the only person who could make you laugh at your own mistakes. Shanique was the proud, “cool” auntie who loved dancing with her niece and nephews. The way to Shanique’s heart was food. She loved to eat at different restaurants and one of her favorite phrases when she went out was “I’m so happy.” To know Shanique was to love her. Anyone who encountered Shanique has a story to tell; her unbought, genuine and loving spirit left a memorable imprint on everyone she met. Shanique was a true light in the world. Shanique was given her wings on June 8, 2024.

Proceeding her in death is her father, Shawn Laval Hawkins; paternal grandparents: Lula Mae Hawkins and Ruben Hawkins; bonus grandfather, Howard Lloyd; maternal great grandfather, James “Boot”
Covington; great uncle, Robert “Bobby” Covington, Sr.; uncle, Lamont Hawkins; bonus great grandmother, Virginia Lloyd and great grandmother, Mary Lou Beatty Covington.

She leaves to cherish her memories her mother, Monica Hawkins, sisters: Indya, Asya, and Alexis; maternal grandparents: Brenda Coffield and Carl Moorman; bonus grandmother, Geneva Lloyd; an aunt who was more like a sister, Markeya Lloyd-McAdams; niece Lyric; nephews: Nero and Shine; four (4) god-children and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.