Faustine Donnell Hawkins

RIDGEFARM- Faustine Donnell Hawkins, a lifelong resident of Ridge farm, IL, passed away at 10:53pm on March 1, 2005 at her home with her children at her side after a long battle with cancer. She was born on April 18, 1921 in Ridge Farm, the daughter of Fred and Besse (Yoho) Blakeney. She married her high school sweetheart, Kenneth H. Hawkins on Oct 11, 1942 in Ridge Farm. He preceded her in death in Oct of 1999. They were blessed with seven children, Donnell (Larry) Wolfe of Martinsville, IL, Janeen (Stephen) Coffing of Ridge Farm, Karen (Jim) Honnold of Charleston, IL, and Karla (Kirk) Woodyard of Ridge Farm. Her surviving sons are, Kim B. Hawkins of Gilman, IL, Blake (Marla) Hawkins of Georgetown, Gregg (Bobbee) Hawkins of Catlin, and one sister, Betty (Mackovic) Chandler of Pensacola, FL. Nineteen grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren, eight sister-in-laws, two brother-in-laws, eighteen nieces, and sixteen nephews. Faustine was preceded in death by her brothers, John and Wayne Blakeney, and two sisters, Wyona Staats and Beula Snapp. Faustine was a 1939 Graduate of Ridge Farm High School where she excelled as a soprano soloist and a violinist. During WWII, she worked at a factory in the Chicago area, was a typist in California, and afterwards became a full time homemaker raising her children. In her young adult years, she helped establish the Ridge Farm Legion Auxiliary and was a Carnegie Library Board member for six years. She was a member of the Ridge Farm Methodist Church where she served on the funeral luncheon committee. Faustine was a "tireless" member of the Ridge Farm Heritage Society and a long-time member of Vermilion Hills Country Club. Her main hobbies included golfing, music, camping and mushroom hunting. "No spring returns but that I wish I might live again through the moment when I went out in the woods". (Donald Culross Peattie). Faustine had a positive effect on every life that she touched.