Hawkins, Paula Fickes (1927–)
Hawkins, Paula Fickes (1927–)
American politician. Born Paula Fickes, Jan 24, 1927, in Salt Lake City, Utah; dau. of Paul B. (navy chief warrant officer) and Leoan (Staley) Fickes; attended Utah State University; m. Walter Eugene Hawkins, Sept 5, 1947; children: Ginean, Kevin and Kelley Ann Hawkins.
US Republican Senator (Jan 1, 1981–Jan 3, 1987), served as a Florida co-chair for Nixon's presidential campaigns (1968, 1972); won election to Florida Public Service Commission (1972); after unsuccessful bids for US Senate (1974) and state lieutenant governor (1976), elected to US Senate (1980); during tenure, served on Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Committee on Labor and Human Resources; also served on Joint Economic Committee (97th Congress), Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (98th), and Special Committee on Aging (99th); initiated an investigation into problem of missing children, resulting in Missing Children's Act of 1982, through which a central information center was established.
See also Women in World History.