Wileta Mae (Welty) Hawkins

Female 1910 - 2008  (97 years)


 

Hawkins, Wileta

Capital Journal (Pierre, SD) on www.genealogybank.com

Wileta Hawkins, 97
Wileta Hawkins, 97, of Pierre, died Monday, June 23, 2008, at Maryhouse Nursing Care Center. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, June 27, at Isburg Funeral Chapel. 
Services will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 28, at the First United Methodist Church. 
Burial will be at 10 a.m., Monday, June 30, at the Halstead City Cemetery in Halstead, Kan. Isburg Funeral Chapel of Pierre has been placed in care of the arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.isburgfuneralchapels.com. 
Wileta was born Sept. 20, 1910, in Moundridge, Harvey County, Kan., the eighth of 11 children of William and Mary Welty. 
On July 4, 1937, Wileta married Eldon Hawkins and a week later they went to South Dakota. For the first few years they lived in a small shack on the property during the summer months and then returned to Kansas to work in the oil fields during the winter months. In 1943 they moved to South Dakota permanently and rented a farm on the north side of the Pierre airport. In 1949 they built a new house about eight miles east of Pierre. Shortly there after Eldon died, she continued to farm and raise her three boys until Jerry took over the farm. 
Wileta was a special lady that had a zest for life. She loved to travel, socialize with friends and family, and was well-known for her homemade pies, rolls, desserts, macaroni and cheese and for competitive card games. Although she did not have any daughters of her own, she informally adopted many young women from the community. 
The Pierre High School girl's basketball team could always count on Wileta's support. For 17 years she sat in the third row, and she never missed a home game when her granddaughters were playing. In 1997, during National High School Activities Week, the girl's basketball team recognized her on National Fan Appreciation Day. 
On her 80th birthday, Gov. Janklow also proclaimed Sept. 20, 1990, "Wileta Hawkins Day" in South Dakota. Wileta will be dearly missed by all those who knew her. 
Wileta is survived by her three sons: Jerry Hawkins and wife Sheryl, of Pierre, Ron Hawkins and wife Linda, of Las Vegas, and Merl Hawkins and wife Doris, of Pensacola, Fla.; 10 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. 
She was preceded in death by her husband, Eldon Ellsworth Hawkins. 
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made "In Memory of Wileta Hawkins" to the Pierre Senior Center or the Pierre Educational Foundation.

Owner/SourceHarvey County Genealogical Society
Date26 Jun 2008
Linked toWileta Mae (Welty) Hawkins




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