Mrs. Doris Baker (Wylie) Hoskins, was born October 18, 1911 in
Champaign, Illinois, the daughter of Hanse E. and Stella M. Baker.
Her father was a student in the College of Engineering, Theoretical
and Applied Mechanics. At age 3, her family moved to Lafayette,
Indiana, where her father continued his education at Purdue University.
Her family returned to Urbana in 1919 and she was enrolled in
the 4th grade at the J.W. Hays Grade School. She attended Lincoln
School for her 6th grade, then to Thornburn Junior High and graduated
from the Urbana Senior High School - Class of 1928.
She moved to Chicago to pursue her career in the Secretarial
field and was employed by the Law Firm of Hall, Braden and Hooks,
located in the Douglas National Bank. While in the area, she met
and was married to Lorenzo P. Wylie, Sr. To this union was born
10 children, 5 boys, and 5 girls - some in the Chicago area at
the Provident Hospital, some here in Urbana, Illinois. She returned
to Urbana in 1939, enrolled her two oldest in the J.W. Hays School
and that started her involvement in the community. She was a member
of the P.T.A. there, and moved along until her last child graduated
from high school (1965). She was made a life member in 1962. She
was appointed a member of the Citizen's Advisory Committee to
the Board of Education and the Urbana Park District Advisory Committee
and served on those boards until 1974. From 1947 - 1974, she was
on staff at the University of Illinois - non-teaching - and worked
in the then Nonacademic Personnel Office. In addition, from 1968
- 1974, she taught the Orientation Class for all new employees,
including Administrative and Professional, Clerical, Laboratory,
Crafts, Janitorial and Food Service. She retired in 1974.
Mr. Wylie passed away in 1976. In 1979, she married Dr. Eugene
Hoskins, retired Doctor of Chiropractic. He passed away in 1989.
Her other civic and community service included her Church, St.
Mary, where she served as Trustee, Lector and Eucharistic Minister;
R.S.V.P. - Tax Counseling For the Elderly; Senior Health Insurance
Program, Matthew House Board Member, Provena Covenant Medical
Center Auxiliary, Krannert Center Senior Volunteer Program - Usher;
Champaign County Historical Society - President; the Committee
on African-American History in Champaign County of the Early American
Museum.
She was a member of the Champaign County Section of the National
Council of Negro Women.
Doris Baker (Wylie) Hoskins
)
denotes original charter members of the Champaign County Section
of the National Council of Negro Women.