text: Greta Hawkins Willis was born October 4, 1914, in Decatur county, Iowa to Howard Freeman and Madge (Gammill) Hawkins. She was welcomed by a sister, Adra, and a brother, Max. Greta graduated from Lineville high school with the class of 1932. As with other young women at that time, she went to teacher’s college and taught country school. Greta married Shelby Willis in 1938. They had one son, Francis Edwin.
  Greta was a very hard-working lady. While the family lived in Saint Louis, she worked at a department store. When the family moved back to the farm after the war, Greta was a cook at the Pleasanton school. She was also a cook at Leon high school and later was a secretary in the school system. She also worked part-time at JC Penney. After Shelby’s death in 1963, Greta continued her career and became the Decatur county clerk of court. She worked with pride for the citizens of her community and, of course, the Republican party.