Robert Lindsay Hakan

Dr. Robert Lindsay Hakan, caring professor, renaissance man, and loving father, passed away on December 25th, 2025, at the age of 67. Although, at 6’5” the only place he ever felt short was among professional basketball players, he was widely known in his community as a gentle giant. He will forever be remembered for his kind nature, his big heart, which he shared without reserve, and his thoughtful lectures, both in and out of the classroom.

Rob was born and raised in Chapel Hill, NC, the youngest son of Virginia Sullens, and Joe Hakan, a notable architect at UNC. He was a free-spirit, however, and dropped out of high school to spend several years in a commune in California. After acquiring his GED, he received his B.A. from UNCW, his Ph.D. from The University of Wyoming, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Scripps Clinic. He was then a professor at UNCW in the Psychology department for 32 years, and an active researcher in the areas of behavioral pharmacology, cognitive bias, and mindfulness. More importantly though, he was a devoted teacher and loved connecting with all of his students.

Outside of the classroom his interests spanned a lifetime and he spent many years devoting himself to his passions ranging from rock climbing to painting, basketball to song writing, woodworking to ultimate frisbee, to name a few. After retirement he spent his time playing music with his band, making pottery, and creating a “gravel-garden” in his backyard. Rob was a lover of animals, a dreamer, saw meaning in the world’s simple pleasures, and never failed to bring a positive attitude to any situation. He found humor in the most terrible of movies, enjoyed teasingly mispronouncing words, and never asked for any material item (other than an acorn or a rock). Through all of these endeavors he deeply valued creativity, silliness, open-mindedness, and generosity. And, most notably, one of his greatest joys was sharing these things with his daughters, and showing up for them in every way possible.

Rob is survived by his daughters (Violet and Olivia Hakan), his siblings (Michael Hakan, Patty Keckler, and Elizabeth Rudd), his step-mother (Joy Hakan), and his partner (Kirstin O’Malley). He will be missed deeply by all that had the privilege of knowing him. There will be a private family service in Chapel Hill in the spring. If inclined, please consider planting a tree in Robert’s memory in lieu of flowers.