Biographical Sketch
1910 – Virgil Walter Moneysmith born in Mishawaka , Ind. 1915 – Esther Evelyn Hawkins born in Hastings , Mich. 1920 - Hawkins family moved to Mishawaka, Indiana, when Grandpa Hawkins accepted pastorate of the First Baptist Church there. 1927 – Virgil’s mother (44) died of complications following goiter surgery 1932 – Virgil met Esther at the Baptist church her father pastored 1933 – March 3 (i.e., 3-3-’33) he proposed; 1934 –Sailed for Africa 1936 – Daughter Esther Joanne was born 1937 –Went on furlough 1938 –Went to Paris to study French. 1939 – (April) Moved on to Africa 1940 –Moved from Bangassou station to Bakouma station 1941 – Daughter Dorothy Louise was born 1943 or ’44 – Killed three lions after they ate the family’s Scottie dog 1945 – Spent three months returning to the U.S. at the close of the War 1946 – Returned to Africa 1950 – Went on furlough; given a house to live in in Wheaton Ill 1951 – Grandma Hawkins (57) died of cancer (July) 1952 – Returned to Africa leaving Esther at Hampton DuBose Academy in Florida ; asked to become dorm parents at the mission school at Ft. Crampel 1954 – Returned to U.S. in time for daughter Esther’s high school graduation; agreed to set up a home for teenage MKs who did not have high schools on the field; said they would do it if it could be in Wheaton 1955 – Welcomed first sixteen teenagers to live with them year around at Mid-Maples 1956 – Both their fathers died at age 76 (Jacob Moneysmith on May 25, Mont Hawkins on Sept. 12) 1958 – Daughter Esther graduated from Wheaton College and Son Don from Wheaton Academy ; Esther married Fred Gross on Moneysmiths’ 25th anniversary (Aug) 1959 – Daughter Dottie graduated from Wheaton Academy 1960 – serious car accident (hit by another car) left one of the MKs dead, Don with a head injury and broken leg, and Virgil with both legs broken. First grandchild (Laurie) born ten days later. 1962 – second grandchild born (Lynée) 1963 – Daughter Dottie married Bob Hoppe (Nov) 1964 – Son Don killed in a lone car accident in Colorado ; grandson Don Paul Gross born five months later on his birthday 1965 – Finished serving at Mid-Maples and moved to Carol Stream , Ill. ; fourth grandchild (Matthew) born; Bob and Dottie w/ Matt left for Colombia with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Virgil began working for Wheaton College 1967 – Esther started working as “counselor to married students’ wives at Moody Bible Institute; fifth grandchild (Nathan) born in Colombia 1969 – Sixth grandchild (Rachel) born in Colombia . Esther went to visit them in Bogota ; Hoppe family returned for first furlough and lived with them at the Carol Stream house 1970 – Dottie and family returned to Colombia , followed by Esther and family. 1971 – Moneysmiths went to Colombia to the Lomalinda translation center for Christmas; stayed a month and baptized Esther’s three children in the lake there. 1973 – Gross family came for furlough and lived with them at the Carol Stream house 1975 – Gross family returned to Colombia 1978 – Found a house to buy in Cherokee Village , Ark. 1979 – Virgil retired and they moved to Cherokee Village 1983 – Big anniversary celebration at Cherokee Village for their 50th (and Esther & Fred’s 25th) 1985 – Moved to Dallas 1987 – Moved back to Cherokee Village 1988 – Virgil died of cancer in Daughter Esther’s home in Dallas ; Esther returned alone to the home in Cherokee Village 1991 – Esther died in Jonesboro , Ark. , hospital |