Kathleen Hawkins, administrative assistant in the Department of Social and Cultural Sciences, and chair of MU Volunteers, and her husband, Robert, are the grand marshals of Milwaukee’s annual Memorial Day Parade at 2 p.m. on Monday, May 29.
The couple met at the USO, which is the theme of the parade, in 1971. Robert was in the U.S. Coast Guard stationed aboard the Ice Breaker Edisto, which was docked off of Erie Street where the Summerfest grounds now are located.
In addition, Robert is the president of Wisconsin Veterans Stand Down, Inc., and Kathleen is the secretary. The organization helps homeless veterans and their families, offering them a respite from the streets and an opportunity to put their lives back together.
The parade begins at 4th Street and Wisconsin Avenue, and heads east on Wisconsin Avenue to the War Memorial center.
