History & Staff

Mr. Carlton H. Shamburger, Owner/ Funeral Director
Carlton was born in Ruston, Louisiana. His father worked as an oilfield sales executive, and Carlton grew up, living throughout Texas and Louisiana. He was schooled in Shreveport, Louisiana, graduating from Huntington High School with the class of 1980. He attended Louisiana Tech University majoring in business and was active in the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He and his wife, Karen Lynn Goodwin met in high school and were married in 1985. They have three children, twins, Kathrine Elizabeth and Meredith Ellen Shamburger, and a son, Benjamin Ryan Shamburger, all graduates of Carthage High School, Centenary College, S.M.U., and Louisiana Tech consecutively. Most recent, Kathrine received her Masters from “Ole Miss.”

Carlton came to Carthage as a graduate of Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service with honors and distinction. He served an apprenticeship through Hawthorn Funeral Home and later came to manage and ultimately purchase the funeral home business and historic property. Carlton and Karen are active community members. Karen is a professional educator working for C.I.S.D. for over 20 years. The Shamburgers are active members of the First Baptist Church of Carthage. Carlton is a proud member of the O.K. Men's Sunday School Class. He also sings in the choir, serves on the Personnel Mat and the Long term Visionary Team. He is active in the Carthage Rotary Club, and serves and dedicates his time on the Mission Carthage Board of Directors. Carlton is President of the Panola Charter School Board of Directors and enjoys fellowship in the Carthage Music Club. Carlton's leadership lead to an invitation to join the Selected Independent Funeral Homes organization in 2013, which is a national organization of independent funeral homes and funeral professionals and leaders accessible by invitation only. His years working for Prime Succession (the former owner of Hawthorns with well over 200 funeral homes nationwide) as manager he received the Manager of the Year award and was given the Perseverance Award which was created for him for demonstrating leadership in funeral service against all odds. Carlton is a member of the NFDA. Carlton has published a newsletter called “The Carriage Trade” for Hawthorn Funeral Home to share with other professionals who serve the bereaved.

"Our perspective at Hawthorn's is unique. We come from the day of horse and buggy and operate today in the information age where technology seems to advance faster than comprehension. Through the decades we’ve learned this contrast is what makes us unique - unique in the services we provide to families, from branding caskets for the Diamond D Ranch to mule drawn wagons, or a confederate soldier’s tribute to a Caisson bearing our own City Officer killed in the line of duty. We are unique in the services we provide our community from honoring Texas Peace Officers and remembering those who we have lost each year in our Service of Remembrance, to honoring those children who excel above and beyond in our Accelerated Reading Program. Karen, myself, and the Hawthorn Funeral Home family have a heart to provide whatever our community needs, in our own unique manner to those we honor and serve." - Carlton H. Shamburger, Owner/Operator.

After retiring from a successful 27-year career as a forester, Mr. Bob Cowan attended the Commonwealth Institute in Houston, Texas and received his degree in Funeral Service in 2001. He then began his second career as a Funeral Director in Many, Louisiana before moving to Carthage in 2008.

Bob married the love of his life, Susie, and they have four children and ten grandchildren. Bob and Susie are active members of the Still Waters Cowboy Church in Carthage.

Bob says, "Susie and I love Carthage, and working at Hawthorn Funeral Home is a blessing."

Laney is a 2023 graduate from Beckville High School. She will be attending Northeast Texas Community College in pursuit of her Associates Degree in Mortuary Science.

Kyle was born in Conroe, Texas. She graduated from Colbert High School in Oklahoma in 1981. She met and married her husband, Dale Walker in that same year. In 1998, they moved to Gary, Texas where Dale accepted the position of Pastor at Eastside Baptist Church.

They have been married for over 40 years and have two children together and four grandchildren. Kyle loves to spend time with her family and she loves to travel with her husband. She has been with Hawthorn Funeral Home since June of 2020.

Donnie Honeycutt, a native of Panola County, is the son of Don and Billie Honeycutt. His father worked at Hawthorn Funeral Home for 55 years. During his life, Donnie's family lived near or on the premises of the funeral home. In the 1950's a new home was constructed behind the funeral home and occupied by the Honeycutt family. The home still stands.

While he attended Panola College during 1965-1968, Donnie worked part-time as an ambulance driver. It was during that time that he met his future wife Richie Kelly. After Panola College, he received his Bachelor's degree in drafting from Texas State Technical Institute in Waco, Texas. In 2012, after a career at the Panola County Appraisal District's office in Carthage, he came to work for Hawthorn Funeral Home.

Donnie and Richie have been married for over 40 years, and they have two daughters, Kelly and Donna, four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Donnie and Richie are active long-time members of First Baptist Church.

Christi Cox is the daughter of Johnny and Wanda Coxen. Carthage was always “home” as her family transferred with United Gas to McComb, MS. After high school and junior college graduation, she came back “home”. She continued her education at SFASU earning her Master’s degree.

Mutual friends introduced her to Tommy Cox, Jr. It was love at first sight. They have been married over 30 years and have two children, Kathryn and Robby. They are active members of First Baptist Church in Carthage.

She recently retired from teaching and coaching. She’s loving ministering to families and working part-time with the Hawthorn Funeral Home Family. Her favorite hobbies are Senior Olympic Basketball plus vegetable/fruit/flower gardening.

John was born in Kannapolis, N.C. in 1952. He attended Tennessee Temple College and holds an Associate Degree from Rocky Mountain Christian College. John enjoys cooking, sport fishing, and road trips. He married Sarah Gillespie Hardy in 1971. They have two children and two grandchildren.

John has been a pre-arrangement specialist for twenty years and has been with Hawthorn Funeral Home since 2004.

Steve was born and raised in the Dallas area. After graduating from Lewisville High School in 1976 he moved to the Beckville area and built a house between Fairplay and Beckville where still lives today. He is the father of two children, John Sowell and Holly Jo Alexander who both reside in Panola County with four of his six grandchildren-two have gone on to college. Steve attended The University of Texas at Arlington where he received his certification as a Specialist in Safety & Health and retired as a safety specialist with TXU after 37 years of service.
“Hawthorn Funeral Home has been here for my family since I was a young child, providing a warm, encouraging atmosphere at a time when it was most needed. The opportunity to be a part of the Hawthorn family as they help others during their time of loss is very much a privilege and a blessing.”

Alice is a fourth-generation native of Panola County. She graduated from Carthage High School in 1954. She is the mother of two daughters and has four grandchildren.

Alice brings the qualities of loyalty and steadfast devotion and friendship to Hawthorn Funeral Home. She is a friend to everyone, and Hawthorn's values the services provided by Alice.

"Like so many others, Hawthorn's was there for me when I needed them. I am privileged to work beside people who are honest and sincere about caring for others in a most difficult time in life. I am proud of even the smallest part I play in serving my friends and neighbors that I know and love so well."

Jeramy was a recent graduate of the Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service with an associate’s degree with honors and distinction.
Mr. Derrick worked as a teacher at New Life Academy for 17 years, director for Winkler House assisted living, taught at Northside Christian Academy and served as a funeral director at Hawthorn Funeral Home.
Jeramy was active in the Northside Christian Center as a worship leader, playing piano, guitar, keyboard, and worked with the youth. His musical talents extended to playing throughout the community at local events, playing, singing at the Country Music Hayride and with Grateful Life

Mr. Williams served his country through the U.S. Army. He married Shirley Ann Hayes October 29, 1961, and they celebrated 60 years of marriage and three children.
Mr. Williams began his career in television repair in 1954 and came to own and operate the Williams T.V. Repair. After his retirement he began his career in funeral service for Hawthorn Funeral Home serving as their chaplain and serving hundreds of families in their time of need. Pete was a member of the First Baptist Church since 1984, where he ushered and served as a deacon. He taught the Sunday devotional service at Winkler House for many years.
Pete was a devoted friend to all who knew him and if you knew him, he prayed for you and yours.

Bob married Cheryl Jane Meyer January 8, 1972. They celebrated 48 years of marriage, raised a loving daughter, and cherished two grandchildren. Mr. Fleming worked as a field switcher for R. Lacey for over 35 years retiring in 2012. He began his law enforcement career as a reserve deputy which lead to the title of Sergeant Deputy Constable for the Panola County Sheriff’s Department which he served for over twenty-three years. Mr. Fleming’s community service continued as a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church where he served as an usher, member of the Methodist Men, Administrative Board, cooked for the Logo’s program and helped in the Eagle Scout program. He also served his community for over 25 years as a dedicated and loyal member of the Hawthorn Funeral Home Family.

Mark worked almost forty years for Hawthorn Funeral Home and the ambulance service before that. He worked in monument sales, owning a monument cleaning business. He later owned and operated the Restland Memorial Park Cemetery prior to his retirement. Mark married Jeena Gibbs on December 11, 1986 and they celebrated 30 years together. He was a past member of the Carthage Fire Department and the antique tractor association and loved fishing, baseball and gardening.