Editor’s note: This is another of occasional stories updating the lives of people profiled in the past by Keith Upchurch, who has been a reporter and editor at The Herald-Sun since 1973.

By KEITH UPCHURCH

kupchurch@heraldsun.com; 419-6612

DURHAM — ‘‘Be honest, get a good education and work hard.’’

That’s the advice former Durham Mayor Jim Hawkins gives to young people these days, and it’s probably an accurate summary of how he’s lived his own life.

Hawkins served two terms as mayor, from 1971 to 1975 — a time of growth for the city and one of its crown jewels — Duke University and its medical center.

In fact, when Hawkins became mayor, Hope Valley wasn’t part of the city.

In a recent interview from his home in Wilmington, Hawkins said the annexation of Hope Valley into the city was an important accomplishment during his administration.

“It brought a lot of people with influence and know-how into the city,’’ he said. “There was a reservoir of talent — people who run the businesses and government.’’

He also said he’s proud that Durham had an honest, competent city government during that period, and he characterized former City Manager I. Harding Hughes Jr., who died earlier this year, as “the best city manager we’ve ever had.’’

Hawkins, now 84, traces his roots to Mebane, where he was born and raised. He moved to Durham in 1942 to attend Duke University as an undergraduate, leaving in 1943 to serve in the Marines and returning to Duke in 1946 to complete his undergraduate degree. He then attended Duke Law School and graduated in 1951.

After that, Hawkins worked for the Office of Ordnance Research at Duke for five years, then went to work in his father-in-law’s real estate firm in Durham, The Allenton Company. He and his brother-in-law later organized Allenton Realty Insurance Co. where he worked until 1989.

Hawkins then organized Allenton Commercial and operated that until 1998, when he retired.

He moved to Wilmington about six years ago to be near his beloved Wrightsville Beach, with which he has had a love affair since the 1940s.

“I’ve always loved coming to Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach,’’ he said.

Hawkins is suffering from Parkinson’s disease, which surfaced about three years ago. It’s robbed him of his ability to play golf, but not of his ability to remember his life in Durham.

“Durham is a good town,’’ he said. “It still has a lot of wonderful people.’’

The former mayor said he’d like to be remembered “as a fair and ambitious person who tried to make the city a better place for future generations to grow up.’’

He also said it’s good to know he hasn’t been forgotten.

“I appreciate being remembered,’’ he said.