“For he’s an Alpha Sig,” became the song recited by a large group of mourners Friday night at the rock on Farm Lane, in a memorial for recently deceased applied engineering sciences senior Anthony Hawley. Called Tony by those who knew him, Hawley passed away Thursday night.
In a heartfelt vigil held the night after he died, political theory junior and Alpha Sigma Phi brother Andrew Brewster gave a small speech about Hawley before leading the group in song and later inviting them to sign their names on the rock in his memory.
Brewster also comforted Hawley’s girlfriend, mechanical engineering sophomore Celeste Stawiarska, during the vigil.
The rock on Farm Lane was painted with a message saying, “A true (Alpha Sigma Phi), we love you, 7/7/93, Tony, 1/29/15.”
Brewster spoke to the crowd, thanking them for coming to the vigil and spoke about Hawley’s life, saying he was always a joy to be around and loved life, and that it was amazing so many who didn’t even know him came out to show their support.
Speaking to those who might not have known him, Brewster said they would never know what he “meant to all of us, each and every one of us.”
The funeral home hosting the service posted an obituary saying that Hawley “passed away suddenly and peacefully.”
“Anthony will be remembered for his effervescent personality, contagious smile and incessantly inappropriate jokes,” the obituary said. “He will forever be celebrated for his zealous attitude, comical nature and living life to the fullest.”
A service for Hawley was held for friends from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday at A.J. Desmond and Sons Funeral Home in Royal Oak, Michigan. Scripture services and sharing of memories were scheduled for 7 p.m. Memorial Mass will be held Monday at noon at St. Hugo of the Hills Church in Bloomfield Hills. Visitation will begin at 11:30 a.m., according to the funeral home’s website.
Agribusiness management sophomore Scott Nelson began a fundraiser on GoFundMe to support Hawley’s family and as of press time was able to raise $1,180 of its $5,000 goal in 12 hours.
Hawley’s cause of death is still unknown. Police were alerted to an unresponsive male in a residence on North Hagadorn Road at about 10 p.m. Thursday and arrived to find his roommate performing CPR. After being transferred to Sparrow Hospital by paramedics, Hawley was pronounced dead on arrival.
The cause of death will remain unknown until the autopsy and toxicology report results come in.
“There is no indication of foul play at this time,” according to an East Lansing Police Department statement. “However, ELPD believes that drugs may have been a contributing factor.”
Hawley was a member of the fraternity Alpha Sigma Phi, which has received support from other organizations within greek life and from the MSU student body on social media sites Twitter and Facebook. Gifts such as flowers and cookies have been sent for condolences.
In the investigation shortly following his death, ELPD Lt. Steve Gonzalez told the Lansing State Journal that both prescription drugs and illegal drugs were found at the scene. He previously told The State News an investigation was underway to uncover the last 24 hours of Hawley’s life. Police neither suspect the death was criminal in nature, nor foul play.
