SLS 22RS-1782 ORIGINAL
2022 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 52
BY SENATOR FOIL
COMMENDATIONS. Commends centenarian Julia "Hurricane" Hawkins for her athletic
accomplishments
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To commend centenarian Julia "Hurricane" Hawkins for her athletic accomplishments.
3 WHEREAS, Ms. Hawkins was born in 1916 and grew up in Ponchatoula, Louisiana;
4 she celebrated her one hundred sixth birthday on February 10, 2022; and
5 WHEREAS, Ms. Hawkins attended college at Louisiana State University and
6 graduated in 1938; after graduating, she worked for many years as a teacher in Baton Rouge
7 and spent time teaching in Honduras while working for United Fruit Company; and
8 WHEREAS, Julia met her future husband, the late Murray Hawkins, while attending
9 LSU; the two were wed over the telephone while Murray, a member of the United States
10 Navy, was stationed at Pearl Harbor during World War II; following his return from duty,
11 the couple shared seventy loving years of marriage until his passing; and
12 WHEREAS, Ms. Hawkins has rightfully earned national acclaim for her incredible
13 athletic accomplishments; she has been featured on numerous occasions in publications such
14 as The Advocate, Sports Illustrated, Runners World, and The Washington Post; she also has
15 a published memoir, It's Been Wondrous!; and
16 WHEREAS, Julia knows no task too tall to overcome; at seventy-five years old, she
17 began bicycling in senior games and self-trained by regularly riding a ten-kilometer route
18 around her neighborhood; her training paid off as it led to winning a bronze medal at her first
Page 1 of 2 SR NO. 52
SLS 22RS-1782 ORIGINAL
1 National Senior Games in San Antonio, Texas; and
2 WHEREAS, Julia has gone on to achieve a number of truly astonishing feats since
3 her first competition; she began competing in sprinting events at the age of one hundred, and
4 in 2017, she set a world record for the 100-meter dash for the 100-104 age group at the
5 National Senior Games with a time of just over thirty-nine seconds; last year, she became
6 the first female track and field athlete and first American to set a world record in the
7 100-meter dash for the 105+ age group with a time of 1:02.95; and
8 WHEREAS, Ms. Hawkins is an truly awe-inspiring woman who embodies the spirit
9 of determination; she is most deserving of the highest recognition for her countless
10 achievements.
11 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
12 does hereby commend centenarian Julia "Hurricane" Hawkins for her athletic
13 accomplishments; does hereby further recognize Ms. Hawkins for serving as an inspiration
14 to all who hope to achieve greatness; and does hereby extend sincerest wishes that she reach
15 even greater heights as she continues her outstanding athletic career.
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
17 Julia Hawkins.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Kenyatta M. Honeycutt.
DIGEST
SR 52 Original 2022 Regular Session Foil
Commends centenarian Julia "Hurricane" Hawkins for her athletic accomplishments.
Page 2 of 2