Frances Ward HawksRaleigh, NC 

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I spent my whole life in Mt. Airy until I got married.  I am very proud to call "Mayberry" home.  I have met many people along the way and I love telling them about growing up in Mt. Airy and the memories I have there.  Part of those memories are the years I spent at MAHS.  Life was so simple then and we just enjoyed the day to day of school and friends and family.  I have fond memories of many of my teachers.  I remember the first day in Mrs. McKinney’s class. She said, “If I draw a straight line on the board, it better be in your notes because you are going to see it again.”  I knew right then, I better be taking good notes.  That went with me the rest of my high school career, not just in her class, but all my classes.  To this day, I take notes wherever I am, in church, in meetings, anywhere that I feel I will need to remember what has been said.  

After high school, I married Ronald Hawks.  He was in college at NC State and we moved to Raleigh.  We are still here and that's where we plan to stay.  We have a son and daughter and six grandchildren, ages 12-21.  I have been reminded recently of how old I am.  We just celebrated our 50th anniversary and you have to be getting pretty old for that to happen.  Then about the same time, I started getting e-mails about our 50th high school reunion.  Have to be getting pretty old for that to happen too.  I am so thankful for every day that God has given me on this earth and am always blessed as another birthday comes and goes that He has given me another year.  I was saddened when I received the list of classmates that have passed away, some of them at very young ages.  

Through the years, I've had several different jobs but the ones I've loved most are being a homemaker, wife, Mom and Nana.  These days, I spend a lot of time in the "Nana Taxi" taking grandchildren to and from school.  I was blessed to be able to keep them as babies and in their years of growing up because they all live close by.  Two of the older ones have gone to college and the third is about to leave. They all will be grown up and going their own directions but I feel so fortunate that I have been able to spend so much time with them and have such wonderful memories.  

I will not be able to be at the reunion, but I have enjoyed reading all the e-mails and stories that have been shared.  Have a great time!  God bless all of you.