A WeHaKee Life Remembered: Marie Karen Hawkinson

It is with great sadness  and a heavy heart that we acknowledge the death of longtime WeHaKee Camp Director, Marie Karen Hawkinson. She died on December 2nd, 2014, living to the age of 101. To many she was known as ‘Hawkie’ or simply SMK. She led WeHaKee Camp for Girls from 1964 through 1984 and in that time the camp’s enrollment increased dramatically. Alumni from her years remember her as being firm yet loving and compassionate while frequently silly and fun-loving!

Having a deep concern about the treacherous waters of the Green Bay at WeHaKee’s original location in Marinette, Wisconsin, Marie Karen led the charge in finding a safer, more appropriate location for the camp. Soon thereafter, a site was acquired north of Winter, Wisconsin on Hunter Lake and remains today the home of WeHaKee Camp for Girls.

Marie Karen touched many lives. If you have a story, a memory, a special thought,  a serious or silly experience, we invite you to share your words with us using the comments section below. Thank you!

SMK was deeply proud of the new chapel that was built overlooking WeHaKee’s waterfront – this beautiful, uniquely designed worship space remains an integral part of both the facility and program at WeHaKee. But what she is truly known for is her dedication to building and maintaining strong relationships with her campers, staff and their families. She remained connected with so many of them well beyond her years at the helm of the camp. She continued to write letters – in her meticulously precise handwriting – to her alumni well into her 90’s!

Her love of WeHaKee was steadfast. When we became the first lay directors in 2004 she connected with us immediately, sharing the connections and relationships she had forged during her two decades of directing. And during our first summer when she saw a television weather report indicating that storms were likely to occur near Camp WeHaKee, she went down to her local Radio Shack, purchased a weather radio which she prompty had delivered to us the very next day!

Marie Karen’s given name was Violet Leola and she was born Oct. 24, 1913, in Menomonie, to Ole and Inga (Stubban) Hawkinson.  To her family, she was known affectionately as ‘Vi’. She grew up in North Menomonie attending North School and Menomonie High School. Vi graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., majoring in Biology, Youth Guidance and Physical Education, receiving her bachelor’s degree in 1936.

She pursued her graduate studies in the School of Social Work at Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, then took graduate work at the University of Wisconsin in Physical Therapy and received her Master’s degree at Marquette University in Counseling, Guidance and the Sciences.

Vi taught College Physiology at Edgewood College in Madison prior to entering the Dominican Order of teaching Sisters, hence the name Marie Karen. Upon becoming a “Religious”, she dedicated her life to teaching the Life of Christ, Biology and Physical Education for nine years at Trinity High School in River Forest, Ill. She then taught at Visitation High School in Chicago, to be followed by St. Clara Academy and the Novitiate.

While directing Camp WeHaKee, she was president of the American Camping Association-Wisconsin Section from 1967 to 1972, which also involved chairing a five-state convention in Milwaukee in 1968. She also assisted in the accreditation of other camps for the American Camping Association.

Marie Karen touched many lives. If you have a story, a memory, a special thought, a serious or silly experience, we invite you to share your words with us using the comments section below. Thank you!

Many of you know the legend of Mary WeHaKee – that her spirit is present at camp, watching over all of the girls each summer. We are quite confident that the spirits of former directors, Sr. Noel Boggs and Sr. David O’Leary are near as well. This summer we look forward to experiencing the spirit of Sr. Marie Karen as she keeps a firm and compassionate watch over the camp from the screen porch of O’Leary Lodge and beyond, ensuring that each girl and young woman has a safe, successful and faith-filled experience at WeHaKee Camp for Girls.