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Mary Frances Godwin was born 18 October 1931 in Fort Smith, Upper Township, Sebastian County, Arkansas. She was the second daughter born to Hershel Franklin Godwin and Ruby Irene (Hamilton) Godwin. Her early years were spent in Fort Smith where she attended Parker Elementary School. The Godwin family moved to California in 1943 where she continued her elementary education. In September 1946 she began high school at Oxnard Union High School in California. She only attended one year before the family returned to Fort Smith, Arkansas and she attended Fort Smith High School. The family remained in Fort Smith for one year and then returned to California, where she graduated from Oxnard High School in 1950.
Picture of Mary Frances Godwin (Haymond) taken in February 1951.
Mary Frances met Dwight Clarence Haymond at Oxnard High when he transferred from Ventura High School. Mary Frances says that she was determined to have the first date with Dwight. She did and they later married on 12 February 1951. Together Dwight and Mary Frances Haymond had three children, namely:
1. Lesli Lynn Haymond 28 Dec. 1951 CA
2. Cynthia Gale Haymond (McKean) 2 May 1955 CA
3. Stephen Michael Haymond 18 Jan. 1957 CA
After 14 years of marriage, Mary and Dwight divorced. She remarried 9 July 1966 to Dale Lee Ward in Clark County, Nevada. Together they had one son:
1. Russell Franklin Ward 11 May 1967 CA
Dale Lee Ward died 26 Nov. 1977 in Camarillo, CA. Mary Frances returned to Arkansas in 1978, with Russell "Rusty" who was the only child remaining at home. Mary Frances had a home built in the small town of Mansfield, Arkansas, where she raised Rusty and worked at Fort Chaffee in Barling. After living in the country for 20 years, she sold her home in 1997 and bought another in the city of Greenwood, Arkansas, where she resides today.