Sadie Shirlee Wadsley Hawkins was born in Storm Lake, Iowa and raised on a farm near Nemaha, IA. She is one of 6 children who spent summers walking 200 acres of soybeans with hoes in hand as well as chipping mortar from the bricks from her father’s winter demolition projects. There were many excursions to a nearby pool, piano lessons and lots of dinners at Grandma’s house.

Sadie enjoyed music and art, playing trombone in the high school concert and marching bands, singing in the high school choir, swing group and her class madrigal group at Crestland Community Schools in Early, IA. Later at Iowa State University in Ames, IA, Sadie earned a B.A. in Graphic Design and displayed a special interest in interior design. She worked in a residence hall cafeteria throughout college and served in student government as well.

After graduation, Sadie followed an employment opportunity to the Twin Cities. She worked in the corrugated box industry and then art departments of a few printing companies before deciding that real estate sales just might be a better option.

Sadie married Dick Hawkins of Benson, MN, in 1986 and followed him through the adventure of a liver transplant. This lead to the Transplant Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA; Manchester, England; Salt lake City, UT; Sydney, Australia; Columbus, OH and Orlando, FL. Since Dick and Sadie loved to travel, the Games were the highlight of life after transplant. Once Dick was unable to work, he created Web sites for the ship’s he served in the U.S. Navy. The USS Kennebec (AO-36) site expanded into an Association and a yearly reunion. Dick, with Sadie’s occasional assistance, pulled together 5 reunions to bring the sailors from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War together.

Sadie Hawkins was widowed in 2005 and is creating a new place for herself in the world. She is blessed with 2 cuddly house cats who keep her company and loves to garden on her townhome patio, read novels, decorate her own home as well as stage homes for sale and has recently taken up ballroom dancing. Weekly lessons and frequent live band dance outings with friends help keep a smile on her face and a bounce in her step.

Sadie’s parents are still on that farm in Iowa and 4 of her brothers and sisters live within 15 miles of there. Another sister lives in Ohio. Sadie dotes on 16 nieces and nephews as well as 18 great nieces and nephews.

The best advice Sadie Hawkins gives:

Life can be very short. Make sure you live yours well and blast over the finish line with a huge grin and a resounding “Yahoo”!