December 2025 | Remembering Director Clyde Hawes

Posted: December 1, 2025 at 9 a.m.

By Sean J. Vanslyke | sean@gosemo.com

Some leaders leave a lasting mark not through the titles they hold, but through the steady influence they have on the people around them. Clyde Hawes was one of those leaders.

Clyde was on the board when I was hired by the cooperative. From the beginning, he believed we should launch GoSEMO Fiber to help families, farms, and businesses across the region. He didn’t just see what was in front of us — he saw what was possible. That vision, combined with his steady hand and genuine care for people, made Clyde a great coach and mentor.

With deep respect and sadness, we share that Clyde Hawes, former director for SEMO Electric Cooperative, passed away in October.

Clyde became a director at just 39 years old and was re-elected 12 times, serving our member-owners for nearly 40 years before retiring from the board in 2017. During his tenure, including service as board president from 1996 to 2003, he helped guide the cooperative through major changes — including our transition from Scott-New Madrid-Mississippi Electric Cooperative to SEMO Electric Cooperative — expanding our service from three counties to six. He was committed to strong communication, financial stability, and keeping members at the center of every decision.

Clyde also served on the M&A Electric Power Cooperative Board and the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives Board, where his calm leadership and thoughtful questions earned deep respect. He worked to ensure reliable power at affordable rates for co-op members across Missouri.

Clyde believed in learning and leadership. He earned his Credentialed Cooperative Director certification and represented our cooperative family in Jefferson City and Washington, D.C., always advocating for the values that make cooperatives strong.

Outside the co-op world, Clyde served 35 years in the Missouri Army National Guard and Reserves, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He also gave back through local government as Presiding Commissioner for New Madrid County (1996–2014) and County Tax Assessor (1976–1996). In his church, he was a leader, teacher, and singer in the choir.

As we gather this Thanksgiving season, I’m reminded how grateful I am for leaders like Clyde — men and women who serve with purpose, humility, and heart. Clyde Hawes lived a life of service, faith, and leadership. He listened. He cared. He asked tough questions and shared stories that made us all think a little deeper. He helped shape the cooperative we are today — and for that, we will always be thankful.

Book of the Month: “”I know my mind can play tricks on me, and tell me I’m no good, that it’s all hopeless. But I need to remember who I am, that I am loved, I matter, and I bring this world things no one else can.” — Always Remember by Charlie Mackesy

Be smart. Act safely. Keep pushing forward!

Sean is the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of SEMO Electric Cooperative and GoSEMO Fiber.

Clyde Hawes (right) with Sean when Clyde was inducted into the Missouri Institute of Cooperatives Hall of Fame in 2015. Clyde was a mentor and coach to Sean — a man who faithfully showed up for his church, his family, and his community. As we approach Thanksgiving, let’s take time to tell the people who matter most how much we appreciate them. Sean’s father (bottom left) recently had triple bypass surgery, and last Thanksgiving his mother had quadruple bypass surgery. His sister, an emergency room nurse, spends her days helping people in their greatest moments of need. These experiences remind us that relationships matter and that gratitude is best shared while we still can.