Josephine Mitrak Hawkins was born March 18, 1922 in Perth Amboy New Jersey. She was the youngest of six children born to Polish Immigrants, Teofil Mitrak and Frances (Wnroska)Mitrak.  She married Guy Hawkins on November 28, 1941. Guy was a young Army Sargent from Hill County Texas stationed at Ft Monmounth , New Jersey, he was scheduled to be discharged in a couple of weeks. The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 changed that. Thanks to the kindness of a fellow soldier who took his place on deployment, he did not depart for Europe until July 1, 1942. On October 10, 1942, a son was born Guy Holland Hawkins Jr. Dad returned stateside July 1, 1943. He departed for Europe again February 11, 1944 returning June 12, 1945. During this time, the young bride and mother lived with her parents, much of the time not knowing the whereabouts of her husband.

Upon his discharge Dad brought his young family to Texas and I am sure that was quite a culture shock for this city girl arriving at his father's Hill County cotton farm. The family moved to Dallas where dad began a career working for Southwestern Bell Telephone. On July 7, 1946, a daughter Patricia Jo was born, sadly the baby passed after only a few days.  On June 16, 1947 Stanley Joe Hawkins was born, and May 11, 1951 I was born.

Most our lives mother worked outside the home and still maintained the home. She worked in the cafeteria of South Oak Cliff high school in the fifties, when we moved to Decatur she worked as a house parent at the Denton State School. Later when we moved to Blossom, Texas she worked as a dietician at the McQuistian Hospital in Paris, Texas until she was able to retire at 62.

I think there many positive attributes to describe mother. Not only a hard worker but she was faithful to her husband, her children and her God. Always in church, in her later years she became a faithful member of the Cooper Creek Baptist church and made many friends there.  What I think was her greatest asset was her positive attitude. The caption under her high school yearbook photo reads" This chubby faced girl is the essence of friendliness. She carries on with a smile." A great description as she carried on with a smile in spite of much hardship.

Left to cherish her memory are sons Stanley and wife Emma, Ralph and wife Belinda, grandsons Gary Dean Hawkins, Gene Hawkins, Luke Hawkins and wife Kristan, Clay Hawkins and wife Julie, granddaughter Kellie Vaughan and husband Todd. great grandsons Dayton and Dax Hawkins, Noah Vaughan, great granddaughter Meghan Kozura and husband Rick, Livi Cole, Stephen Cole, Michael Cole, Shelby White, Along with several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, husband Guy, son Guy Jr. daughter Patricia Jo, granddaughter Dee Dee Hawkins, and great grandson Montana Vaughan.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday December 31, 2020 at 10:00am in the Mulkey-Bowles- Montgomery Funeral home chapel. Burial will follow in the Cooper Creek Cemetery in Denton.

Online condolences may be made at www.mulkeybowlesmontgomery.com