|
Mary Hawkins, an 88 year old Trenton, MO resident, passed away at 1:38 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at her residence where she had been under hospice care.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at the First Christian Church of Trenton. Burial will be in Resthaven Memorial Gardens of Trenton. A scheduled visitation will be held from 7 to 8:00 p.m. on Monday at the Whitaker-Eads Funeral Home of Trenton. Family will be at Mary’s home at 3801 Manor Drive.
Mary Jean (Whitley) Hawkins was born August 3, 1923 in Jamesport, MO the daughter of Ralph and Lillian (Gusewelle) Whitley. She attended grade school in Jamesport and Trenton graduating from Trenton High School in 1941. She attended Trenton Junior College graduating with an associate Arts degree.
During WWII se took a job with the United States Government in civil services and worked as a secretary to a General in Washington D.C. at the Pentagon. She often talked about the courage and resolve it took to leave a small town where she had always lived and travel by train to Washington, a place where so much hustle and bustle of the war was taking place.
After the war she moved to Kansas City and worked for TWA Airlines. It was there she met and married her life long partner John L. Hawkins. They were the parents of two sons, John A. Hawkins and Roger J. Hawkins. The family lived in Springfield, MO, where she held various secretarial jobs before moving back to Trenton. In Trenton she worked in the family business, the Whitley Popcorn Co. as a bookkeeper and executive assistant.
Mary was a life long learner who valued education. At T.J.C. she took classes in accounting, literature, religion, required to pass the real estate license exam.
During retirement years the couple spent the winter in Naples, Florida, where her interest in floriculture flourished. She was a certified Master Gardener in both Florida and Missouri. She helped in the formation of the Naples Botanical Gardens and became a charter member. In Trenton she was a member of the First Christian Church and belonged to the Gravel River Garden Club. She enjoyed competing in flower arranging where she received many honors. She competed in the Kansas City area and took the top award.
Getting together with family and friends were very important times for her. She especially enjoyed attending the special events the grandchildren, nieces and nephews were involved in.
Survivors include sons John A, and Cindy Hawkins of Naples Florida and Roger and Barbara Hawkins of Trenton, a sister Carrol Key and her husband Freddie, a brother John Whitley and his wife Beverly, eight grandchildren Teresa and Brad Cross, Andrew and Shelly Hawkins, Suzanne Hawkins, Erik Hjortaas, Michael Hawkins, and Naomi Nakaro, two great grandchildren Alexander and Zachary Cross.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and two brothers James and Robert Whitley.
The family suggests memorial donations be made to the First Christian Church or North Central Missouri College.
|
