Mary Lou Hawkins was born in 1935 in Hall, Indiana. She went to Hall Elementary and was in the last Eighth grade class at Hall Elementary, after which she attended and graduated from Monrovia High School in 1953. Mary Lou married and raised her family in Monrovia, she was very active in PTO and Band as well as a VBS teacher and director. All of this would certainly keep you very busy but wait there’s more. Mary Lou worked as a court reporter; she was in fact so good at her job she became the legal aid for the Attorney General’s Agriculture department.Opportunity came knocking in the form of a job offer, which she declined, instead she purchased the business.
As a child her mother would read poetry to her which began her love for poetry. Mary Lou met the “love of her life”, Russell in 1994 through the personal ads in the Indianapolis Star. They would often take bus tours to see other states. During one of their bus tours Russell volunteered Mary Lou to stand up and recite poetry for the entire bus. Stand she did, holding on to a pole on the bus for balance she recited poetry from Maine to Arizona. Mary Lou’s love of poetry lead her to write and publish a book of poetry, along with several children’s books about life lessons, quite the accomplishment. Apparently, she’s not slowing down yet, she is currently working on publishing another book,
After Monrovia celebrated their sesquicentennial (150 yearanniversary) with a festival, a few community members decided it was so much fun they should do it every year. This is how the Monrovia Festival came to be in 1984. Mary Lou was on the very first festival board, she worked tirelessly every year to make it a success. When it came to festival weekend you could find Mary Lou living in her motorhome in town so she could be hands on for everything.
Mary Lou’s family has owned their local farm for 100 years. She recently received the Hoosier Homestead Award presented by the Indiana Department of Agriculture. Mary Lou has seen many changes in Monrovia throughout her life here, she is very proud of her community.
Mary Lou is pictured with Bob Marley.
Unfortunately, we were not able to have a parade due to the weather this year.
As a child her mother would read poetry to her which began her love for poetry. Mary Lou met the “love of her life”, Russell in 1994 through the personal ads in the Indianapolis Star. They would often take bus tours to see other states. During one of their bus tours Russell volunteered Mary Lou to stand up and recite poetry for the entire bus. Stand she did, holding on to a pole on the bus for balance she recited poetry from Maine to Arizona. Mary Lou’s love of poetry lead her to write and publish a book of poetry, along with several children’s books about life lessons, quite the accomplishment. Apparently, she’s not slowing down yet, she is currently working on publishing another book,
After Monrovia celebrated their sesquicentennial (150 yearanniversary) with a festival, a few community members decided it was so much fun they should do it every year. This is how the Monrovia Festival came to be in 1984. Mary Lou was on the very first festival board, she worked tirelessly every year to make it a success. When it came to festival weekend you could find Mary Lou living in her motorhome in town so she could be hands on for everything.
Mary Lou’s family has owned their local farm for 100 years. She recently received the Hoosier Homestead Award presented by the Indiana Department of Agriculture. Mary Lou has seen many changes in Monrovia throughout her life here, she is very proud of her community.
Mary Lou is pictured with Bob Marley.
Unfortunately, we were not able to have a parade due to the weather this year.