Dr. B.E. "Bob" Hankins

Dr. B. E. “Bob” Hankins was born in Sheridan, Arkansas to Eugene Carlton Hankins and Geneva Rann Hankins. He died in Little Rock, Arkansas August 3, 2026.

Dr. Hankins received his undergraduate education in Chemistry from Arkansas State Teachers College, now the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas. Both master’s and doctoral degrees in Chemistry were obtained from the University of Missouri at Columbia, Missouri. After a brief stint as a research chemist with Union Carbide Nuclear Company in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Dr. Hankins joined the faculty at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana in 1959. He held various positions including Professor of Chemistry, Head of the Department of Chemistry and Dean of the College of Sciences. In 1987 he was named Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Through his leadership and foresight, he initiated several valuable advancements at McNeese. He retired in 1995.

Dr. Hankins served on multiple professional state and national advisory boards including the National Geothermal Test Advisory Board. He authored or co-authored hundreds of articles, abstracts, theses, reports, and books throughout his career. As a consultant to the U. S. Department of Energy, Dr. Hankins testified before congress about using geopressured geothermal energy as an alternative energy source to replace nonrenewable energy sources in the US. He was honored and recognized locally, nationally, and internationally by his professional peers including the American Institute of Chemists and the Royal Society of Chemistry of London. He was listed in American Men and Women in Science, leaders in Science, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering and Who’s Who in American Education.

After retiring in 1995, Dr. Hankins joined an on-line tutoring service helping students who were having difficulty understanding chemistry at the high school and college levels. After moving to Parkway Village Retirement Community in Little Rock, Arkansas to be nearer family, he continued this work for ten more years. Some months he helped more than 1,000 students because he always wanted to keep his mind active. He enjoyed helping students with his favorite subject.

Dr. Hankins was a licensed private pilot as well as a licensed Amateur Radio operator with the call letters W5NBG as issued by the Federal Communications Commission.

Those left to cherish his memory are his sister-in-law, Earlene Hankins of Quitman, Arkansas; his niece, Leslie Quinn (Tim) of Shreveport Louisiana; his sister-in-law, Carol Fuson Crook (Don) of Smithville, Tennessee; his brother-in-law, Lewis Fuson of Smithville, Tennessee; and his sister-in-law, Ramona Fuson of Liberty, Tennessee. Other relatives are, great nieces, Meagan Stoll (Ian), daughters Avery and Finley, Meredith Miller (Vaughan), and Mickey Treeweek, nephew-in-law. In addition, the ROMEO Club (Retired Old Men Eat Out) of Parkway Village, Little Rock, and special friends, Debi, Miriam, Amelia, Sarah, Barbara, and Sabrina who will surely remember his antics, as well as his friends in Lake Charles.

Dr. Hankins was preceded in death by his wife of 43 years, Helen Lynn Fuson Hankins; his son, Robert Scott Hankins; two brothers, Jimmy Carlton Hankins, and Billy Frank Hankins; and his parents.

A Gathering of Family and Friends will be held from 1:00 PM until 2:30 PM on Friday, August 14, 2026 at Johnson Funeral Home, 4321 Lake Street, Lake Charles, LA 70605. Burial will follow in Consolata Cemetery under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, or the charity of the donor’s choice.