Mary Ella Racine Hawkins

Racine was born in Montgomery County, Maryland, and resided there all the years of her life. She graduated from Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland, and worked as a bookkeeper at the Kresge's five and dime store in Silver Spring until her marriage to Leland Hawkins. The marriage ended after the birth of their third child and Racine went to work as a waitress at the Short Shop Diner in Wheaton, Maryland and also at The Bean Pot Diner in Kensington, Maryland, to support herself and her children.
In her later years, she bought and sold antiques, refinished and repaired antique furniture and became an expert at weaving, splinting and caning antique chairs and rockers. She passed on those skills to members of her family and others with whom she worked. She was partners in the Half and Half Shop in Highland, Maryland, and also worked in local antique shops in and around Olney, Maryland area.
She has been a resident of Brooke Grove Rehabilitation and Nursing Home for many years and resided there until suffering a recent illness.
She is survived by three children, Leland Hawkins of Rockville, Maryland, Larry Hawkins and his wife, Barbara, of Inverness, Florida and Denise Simpson of Tampa, Florida. She has four grandchildren, Heather Lynch and her husband Doug of Weeki Wachee, Florida, Kenny Simpson and his wife Shanna, of Columbia, Maryland, Jesse Simpson of Tampa, Florida, and Barbara Hawkins of Inverness, Florida. Racine was honored with two great grandchildren, Joseph Fowler of New York, and Tommy Barnett, of South Carolina. She also survived to see her first great, great grandchild, Alex Fowler of New York.
She was preceded in death by five brothers, William T. Disney, Wilton LeRoy Disney, Burton K. Disney, Alfred L. Disney, and Douglas E. Disney.
She also has an extended family, all who love her so much and will miss her deeply.
The family will announce memorial service plans at a future date.
To assist the family with the cost of final arrangements, we gratefully request donations in lieu of flowers or other contributions be sent to:
Carol M. Darick, 4 Elwyn Court,Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Many thanks to all who have shared in Racine's Life.