Mary Sue Hawkins

Mary Sue Nance Hawkins was born on March 12, 1943 in Huntsville, Ala., to the late Y.C. and Ruth Whitehurst Nance. She attended Carver High School in Union Springs, Ala., and was Valedictorian of the Class of 1960. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Education from Alabama A&M University in 1964. While at Alabama A&M she was initiated into Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., through Delta Delta Chapter in 1963. She earned the Master’s Degree in Counsel Student Personnel at Stetson University. She began her professional career as secretary at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Tuskegee, Ala. She later taught at Merritt High School in Midway, Ala. She was secretary for the base commander and wing commander at Zaragoza Air Force Base in Spain. Sue, as she was affectionately known throughout her life, joined the staff at Daytona Beach Community College, now Daytona State College in 1976 as a member of the secretarial pool. She rose through the ranks during her 32-year career at Daytona State and was Associate Vice President for the School of Adult Education and the Academic Support Center when she retired in 2008. She received numerous awards in the field of education. She served as president of the Southeastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (SAEOPP). She was actively involved in several local and national community service organizations and received numerous awards for her work. She was a dedicated member of Mount Zion AME Church for 32 years and served in numerous capacities, including president of Connelly Club, the Stewardess Board, Class Leader, the Trustee Board, the Mass Choir and Choir No. 1. Additionally, she was involved in the HOSTS (Helping Our Students To Succeed) Tutorial Program at Palm Terrace Elementary and Bonner Elementary schools and a member of Crafty Ladiessewing circle, the Metropolitan Bridge Club and the Daytona Beach Chapter of the American Bridge Association. Sue was a former president of the Daytona Beach Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Sue leaves to cherish her memory her husband of more than 47 years, William E. Hawkins of Daytona Beach; two daughters, Karen Alisa Hawkins Rosen of Los Angeles, and Donna Hawkins of Hampton, Va.; three granddaughters, Ava Stewart, Satori Rosen and Bodhi Rosen; one grandson, Jahi Gains; one brother, Roscoe Nance (Willye Mae); one aunt, Madie Nance Finch, Gary, Ind.; two uncles, S.N. Nance Sr., Tuscumbia, Ala., and James A. Nance, Seaside, Calif.; two brothers-in-law, George Hawkins (Elizabeth), Albion, Mich., and Irvin Hawkins, Portage, Mich., and two sisters-in-law, Gladys Dabney Hawkins, Montgomery, Ala., and Malinda Hawkins Dix, Union Springs, Ala. She also leaves a host of loving nieces, nephews, friends and work associates. In addition to her parents, her brother, Orlando Tyrone Nance, preceded her in death. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Y.C. Nance Memorial Sports Foundation P.O. Box 510, Union Springs, AL 36089. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Mount Zion AME Church, 449 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Daytona Beach. Family hour will be from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Friday at Mount Zion. Homegoing Service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Wayman Chapel AME Church, 105 Cooper Street, Union Springs, AL 36089. Volusia Memorial Funeral Home, 548 North Nova Road, Ormond Beach FL 32174 will direct the service in Daytona Beach. Carter Funeral Home, 302 Carter Street, Union Springs, AL 36089 will direct the service in Union Springs.