Mary Ruth Hawkinson Temple

Textile Center 2009 Spun Gold Award Recipient

Textile Center honors the memory of Mary Ruth Hawkinson Temple, a Spun Gold Award recipient. Her impressive career as a professional fiber artist, weaver, and designer included creating more than 200 commissioned memorial liturgical weavings around the Upper Midwest, including several for the different liturgical seasons for Hamline United Methodist Church, St. Paul, and a processional piece for St. Mark’s Cathedral, Minneapolis.

Throughout her career Mary participated in many juried regional and national fiber shows, won many First and Second Place, Judge’s Choice, and People’s Choice Awards, and her work has appeared in several books and publications. Textile Center honored her lifetime dedication to fiber art with a Spun Gold Award in 2009.

Mary received a Master of Fine Arts in Design in 1990 from the University of Minnesota. She was a professional fiber artist, weaver, and designer. She taught at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota and in the Department of Design at the University of Minnesota.  For 22 years, she was also a judge in Creative Activities at the Minnesota State Fair.

She was born March 27, 1931, in Minneapolis, to Raymond Hawkinson and Ruth (Olson) Hawkinson. She was preceded in death by her husband Robert (Bob) Temple, her parents, and her brother Raymond (Gus). Mary passed away peacefully February 4, 2019.

Mary graduated in 1948 from St. Mary’s Hall in Faribault, and received a Bachelor of Arts in 1952 from Carleton College in Northfield. In October 1952 she married Robert Temple, and spent the next 65 years together until his passing in March 2018.

A Memorial Service is set for 12 noon, Saturday, March 30, 2019, at Lakewood Cemetery Chapel, 3600 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis. A graveside service was previously held on February 8, 2019.

Mary is survived by her children, Michael A. (Marilyn Snelson) Temple, Tamara P. Temple, Ruth R. (Lise M. Dyckman) Temple; grandchildren Anna, David, Heidi, Rachel, and Chelsea, and great-grandchildren Collin, Alexis, Ava, and Justin. Mary is also survived by her brother John Hawkinson of Easton, MD, her sister Paula Rooks, and her sister Karen Bicknell.

She has many nieces and nephews, making a very large and beloved extended family.

Memorial gifts may be directed to Textile Center, Second Harvest, or Carleton College.