Father of Rhode Island’s Lottery John Hawkins Dies at Age 80
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
John Hawkins was the powerful Majority Leader of the Rhode Island State Senate in the 1970s, but his biggest impact on Rhode Island was his creation and leadership of the RI Lottery. Hawkins died Sunday evening at the age of 80.
The lottery and income from gaming facilities in Rhode Island now constitute the third largest source of revenue to Rhode Island's budget.
In the past three years, the Lottery has generated sales of over $2 billion and revenue to RI of more than $1 billion
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTHawkins was an old school legislator who knew who to lead the chamber with finesse or force - an Lyndon Baines Johnson style leader.
He was a graduate of the University of Rhode Island and Suffolk Law School.
His nephew, Bill Hawkins wrote about his uncles passing, “”(We) lost a great man tonight! He did a lot of good for so many people.”
Arrangements are being handled by the Skeffington Funeral Home in Providence. Visiting hours will be Friday at St. Thomas Catholic Church, 65 Fruit Hill Ave., with a Mass at 9 a.m. Saturday at the church.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Bill Hawkins
Related Slideshow: Top 25 Luckiest Places for Winning Lottery Tickets in Rhode Island
Here are the 25 stores with the most lottery winners of more than $10,000 in Rhode lsand in the past two years...
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25. Gulf Express-
24. Vicker's Liquors 
23. Healy News Store-
22. Stop & Shop -
21. Stop & Shop -
20. Solar Gas -
19. Twin River -
18. Cumberland Farms -
17. Breads 'N' Stuff 
16. Cumberland Farms-
15. Sandy Lane Gas + Conv -
14. Lakewood Liquors -
13. Dan's Convenience 
12. Stop & Shop
11. Fast Freddie's-
10. Stop & Shop -
9. 7-Eleven -
8. Shaw's Supermarket -
7. Sam's Food Mart -
6. A+B Mart -
5. Phred's Drug 
4. A+T Casali Liquors-
3. Stop 'N' Go -
2. Cumberland Farms -
1. Convenience Plus
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