Margaret M. “Peggy” Hawkins

Family and friends of Margaret M. "Peggy" Hawkins are celebrating her life of 89 years today. Peggy died peacefully in her home on Saturday, March 16, 2013. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Alfred "Shorty" Hawkins in June 1997.

Peggy was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Tipton American Legion Auxiliary, St. John's Altar & Rosary Sodality and the Indianapolis F.O.P.

How appropriate that God called his Irish lass home this St. Patrick's Day weekend. Peggy was born to John & Margaret Jane (McLoughlin) McCormack in Moneymore, County Derry, Northern Ireland on January 10, 1924. She met Corporal Alfred "Shorty" Hawkins in 1942 while he was serving during WWII in the U.S. Army in Ireland where they fell in love. This is their love story in her own words.

"My memory brings me back to the day I sailed to America from Belfast Harbor to join my husband whom I met in January 1942. He was serving with the 112th Engineers, U.S. Army during WWII. My parents left me on the ship, S.S. Henry Gibbons where I stayed overnight. We sailed the next morning April 5, 1946 and I stood on the deck waving goodbye to my brother Vincent until we were out of sight of each other.

I was so young being married at 19 years and sailing to a country I knew nothing about with my young daughter Patricia, 15 months old. We arrived in New York Harbor expecting to see my husband, but he was advised to wait until we reached Indiana. We traveled from Penn Station by train to Richmond, Indiana where the Red Cross took over our care, putting me and my young daughter on a train for Kokomo. On arriving there April 15, 1946, I was met by my husband Alfred and his brother Arthur. I was scared; did I look good, were my clothes presentable? And then I realized, after eight days at sea with sea-sickness, I guess I felt pretty good and didn't care as long as I was with my husband again.

During our 54 years of marriage, 11 children, ups and downs, I feel grateful that this country and Indiana especially, has given a good life to me, my mother and father, and five brothers who immigrated after me from 1949 to 1955."

Peggy is survived by her children, Julia Patricia Zanone and husband David, Fort Myers, Florida, Margaret Hawkins, Tipton, Michael Hawkins, Tipton, Joseph Hawkins, Indianapolis, Seamus Hawkins and wife Pamela, Kokomo, Veronica Maxwell and husband Michael, Kempton, Suzan Jones and husband Garry, Tipton, and Barry Hawkins, Fort Myers, Florida.

She is also survived by her brothers Francis Thomas Eugene McCormack and wife Patricia, Tipton, Malachy Columba Andrew McCormack and wife Martha, Kokomo; 23 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren.

Peggy was preceded in death by four brothers, Bernard John McCormack, Vincent Joseph McCormack, Patrick Gerard McCormack and Anthony James Basil McCormack; three children, Alfred Hawkins, Jr., John Hawkins and IPD Officer Teresa Jean Hawkis; two grandchildren, Brent Allen Hawkins and David Andrew Hawkins.

Peggy's wish was to donate her body to medical education. A memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 23 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church with Rev. Leroy Kinnaman presiding. After cremation burial will be in St. John's Cemetery at a later date. Young-Nichols Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the General Scholarship Fund at the Tipton County Foundation, P.O. Box 412, Tipton, Indiana, 46072.