MARY DOBBS HAWKES

BAR HARBOR – Mary Dobbs Hawkes died Aug. 24, 2006. She was born May 11, 1916, in Bangor, the daughter of Ralph J. and Josephine (Hammill) Grant. Mary was the second of three children, older brother, Louis and younger sister, Louise. Mary attended Bangor schools, graduating in 1933 from John Bapst High School. She continued her education by attending the University of Maine – Orono, and became a lifelong member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. While an undergraduate, she met, fell in love with and married assistant football coach Walter B. Dobbs of Ashland, Ky. Although Mary started her undergraduate studies a member of the Class of 1937, she chose to have a family, but in 1957 after 20 years, she received a Bachelor of Science in education from the University of Maine just three years after the untimely death of her husband. During her career, Mary taught English and math in secondary schools in Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota and Maine until 1958, when she became a librarian at Lewiston High School, Lewiston. In 1960, Mary moved her family to Barrington, R.I., to take the position of head librarian at Barrington High School. Mary received her maters in education from Boston University in 1963 and in 1978, after almost four decades in the field of education, she retired to her beloved town of Bar Harbor. While attending her 50th year class reunion at the University of Maine in 1987, Mary became reacquainted with the Rev. Ralph Hawkes, a man whom she had dated once 50 years earlier and later that same year they were married. Their happiness was cut short with the Rev. Hawkes passing away unexpectedly in 1992 and in 1997, Mary’s only daughter, Josephine died at the age of 51. During Mary Dobbs Hawkes’ 90 years, she was no stranger to sorrow, but that sorrow was deeply overshadowed by the happiness she derived from family, friends and all the lives she touched during her years as an educator. She is survived by her eldest son, Walter B. Dobbs Jr. and his three sons, Benedict Geoffrey Dobbs, Ian Jeremiah Dobbs and Colin Earl Dobbs; her youngest son, Jefferson Grant Dobbs and his wife, Karen Lynn Sharpe and their son, Graydon Jefferson Dobbs; stepsons, William Lowell Hawkes and David Rice Hawkes; her stepdaughter, Martha Samuelson and their children and grandchildren. Memorial services will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, at Church of Our Father, Hulls Cove, with the Rev. Charles Bradshaw officiating. At Mary’s request, gifts in her memory may be made to the Jesup Memorial Library, care of Nancy Howland, 34 Mount Desert St., Bar Harbor, ME 04609. Arrangements are by Jordan-Fernald, 1139 Main St., Mount Desert.