In Her Own Words

In Her Own Words is a collection of stories, journals, letters and articles that chronicle the life of Virginia Mae Kerr Hoepner Sinclair. The book is a memoir of growing up in Iowa during the Great Depression; a looking back at childhood from the perspective of adult memory. The book continues with stories reflecting on the author's role as wife, mother, grandmother,and career woman, her transformation following a trip to Africa, and her subsequent role as mentor and activist.

Mrs. Sinclair spent the first half of her life living within seven miles of where she was born and raised on an Iowa farm during the Great Depression. A trip to Africa designed to spend time with grandchildren transformed her perspective of people and issues. She spent the second half of her life mentoring international students, working to mitigate problems of homelessness, and working tirelessly to elect officials who worked for the common good of all people.