Wanda June Todd

Wanda June Hawkins Todd

Hawkins, Wanda's maiden name evolved from men who acquired their surname during the reign of one or more of the English kings named Henry. King Henry's supporters where referred to as "Henry's men," a label which evolved from Henry's to Harry's to Haw's to Hawkes to Hawkyns to Hawkins.
Luther John Hawkins, Wanda's dad hailed from Thurber, Texas where he grew up surrounded with cattle and horses. He enlisted in the Calvary Armed Services, waiting in New Jersey with his friend Buddy Smith to be transported to war overseas, when at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918, the Armistice was signed. While still in New Jersey, Buddy's girlfriend introduced Luther to Josephine Vossler. They soon married and made the decision to relocate to Strawn, Texas where Wanda's older sister Edie and older brother Earl, were born. In 1926, the family ventured west to Ventura, California. Wanda was born in Bell and her younger sister Betty came 5 years later.
Growing up in the apricot, orange and lemon orchards in southern California, learning to swim in the barranca with her siblings, eating fresh veggies and chickens from the backyard, family get togethers at Foster Park, riding horses, surfing at the Rincon, skiing at Big Bear, and dancing to so many big bands during WWII, Wanda lived large in California's Golden Years!
As teenagers Betty and Wanda would take the bus to town when Betty spied a good-looking fellow in the Music Shop, a local record store. Betty said, "Wanda, that's the guy you're going to marry". The prophecy came true on January 29, 1950 as Earl Henry Todd could not resist the fiery redhead with green eyes.
Early into their marriage, they found a small house to call home on a friend's ranch in Ventura. Wanda remembers Todd buying block ice to cool their ice box. At the time, Wanda worked as bank teller and 'Todd' was known as the 'Platterman', disc jockeyed tunes over the airwaves from KVVC, a Ventura radio station. An opportunity arose and Todd accepted a transfer to Casper, Wyoming in 1952 to manage the Beneficial Finance Company, Working equally as hard at home, Wanda sodded the front and back yards of their new house all the while being 8 months pregnant with Terri.
In Casper they became very active in the young Democrats. Together with their friends Frank & Eileen Bowron, the Wyoming delegates worked the floor at the 1960 Democratic Convention persuading elected representatives to nominate John F. Kennedy. Wyoming was the last state in the alphabetical roll call with Teno Roncalio announcing the 15 votes necessary to put Kennedy over the top, narrowly winning the first-ballot nomination.
California was calling them back where Todd was offered to head up a financial branch in Modesto. It was a good move as it brought them closer to family. Wanda remembers the summers being sweltering hot, replaced in fall and winter by the cool Tule fog that settles in the San Joaquin Valley. Here, Julie and Mike were born but soon the family would see a new life unfold in Panama City, Panama, a move brought about by a new business venture.
Being the devoted mother and wife, Wanda drove through tack strewn streets to fetch us from school during a Panamanian military coup, shopped open air meat markets with her best friend, sunned on both beaches, Atlantic and Pacific, was the tour guide to both family and friends visiting Panama and the Canal. And she found time to entertain friends serving up rum and Coca Cola highballs on the balcony. Living on the isthmus was filled with new experiences for this California gal at 42!!!
Todd with his partner Paul Wood established a Panamanian savings and loans office. Prior to that Panamanians bought everything with cash. They also helped initiate low cost housing programs with the Panamanians. Now Panama City is one of the largest financial hubs for the Americas. Longing to be back in the States, the family, Panamanian parrot and Dalmatian dog relocated to yet another coast, Ft Lauderdale, Florida. They were reunited with Wanda's older sister, children and grandchildren. But soon dear Wyoming friends, the Bowrons and Weavers were calling them to journey west.
The prairies were greening when we returned to Casper, May 1970. Together with Frank & Eileen Bowron, Wanda & Todd purchased the Soderberg Apartments built in 1930. Several years later, they bought out the Bowrons, and renamed the apartments, Granada. This would be their home for the next 46 years! Together they enjoyed renovating the apartments with the piéce de résistance being a stunning sunroom.
In the workforce, Wanda employed her skill sets as secretary, office manager and bookkeeper for a variety of companies. Todd continued on in the financial industry, worked at Harry Yesness, a retail clothing store where he became dear friends with the Ed and Zama Spear family and finally clocked out with Job Services of Wyoming. They enjoyed visiting Sarah and Warren Weaver's family and skiing on Casper mountain.
Wanda says that her biggest joy was raising her family as well as traveling in their motorhome visiting family across the United States and Baja. The love of her life, Todd passed away in 2003 and she continued getting together with family, friends and taking care of the Granada Apartments in Casper.
Let's just say that her Aries passion was catching. At age 80 she experienced La Dolce Vita and fell in love with Italy. She'd dreamed of visiting Granada, Spain, which we did for her 82nd birthday and took in Portugal along the way.
In Casper at the age 89, in the middle of remodeling the basement apartment, she started packing up her life's belongings in anticipation of a fresh start in Lafayette, Colorado. No nursing home for her, she lived it up in a 55+ community with architecture reminiscent of the beautiful Italian apartment houses she visited with their inner courtyards and of course, flower-laden balconies. Her family lived close by and she loved visiting, reading, knitting, listening to jazz and following politics. She lived independently, still cooking and having a glass of red wine at 5:00 o'clock before she passed peacefully to the great beyond.
Cheers to you Wanda!!!