Margaret Watkins

Margaret McFarland Watkins was born August 1, 1920, to Kenneth Malcolm McFarland and Annie Ben Powell McFarland of Tenaha, and died peacefully on December 8, 2015, after a long illness. Margaret was raised in Shelbyville by her maternal grandparents, Judge Frank Crabb Powell and Margaret Benina Childers Powell, following her mother's sudden death when she was only 14 months old; and she later lived with two of her mother's sisters and their husbands, Pauline Powell Millard (Arch) of Nacogdoches and Varina Powell Sammons (Major) of Corpus Christi, during her teen years. After graduation from high school, she worked as a legal secretary and title closer for Guaranty Title & Trust Company until she met the love of her life, Owen Milton Watkins, Jr. of Houston at a church social. They were married at First Methodist Church in Corpus Christi on October 7, 1942 -- just months before Owen shipped out to the South Pacific during World War II. Following the war, Margaret and Owen had two children: Patricia Watkins Christensen (Steve) and James Owen Watkins (Greta Gregory), and lived in Corpus Christi, Houston, Grand Chenier, Louisiana and Dickinson, Texas, before moving to Tyler in 1966. In Tyler, Margaret worked as a church secretary and obtained her Associate Degree from Tyler Junior College in 1976. Then for the next 20 years, she pursued her passion for real estate, working as an agent and broker for Baker Lucas Real Estate and Ben Fitzgerald Realty, eventually opening her own real estate office in 1986. In 1991, she was honored by the Women's Council for Realtors as their Member of the Year. Margaret was a consummate homemaker, an enthusiastic cook and a great story-teller. She loved to travel (saving Green Stamps to help defray the costs of family vacations during the early years). She also loved to play couples' bridge, do crossword puzzles, write stories about her family history, organize reunions for her first cousins, and host parties in her home (especially on New Year's Eve, when she would get out her mother's old school bell and ring in the New Year for the entire neighborhood). She and Owen have been active members of Marvin United Methodist Church and its Chapel Class for almost 50 years, where she was active in United Methodist Women, the Priscilla Circle and the Mission Team. She was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, her brother, Kenneth McFarland (Bill) of Nacogdoches, and her aunts and uncle with whom she was raised. She is survived by her devoted husband of 73 years, her two children, five grandchildren: Jennifer Blackmon (Keith), James Owen Watkins, Jr., Amanda Conger (Sam), Geoffrey Christensen and Jeremy Christensen (Kylan Frye), and nine great-grandchildren: Robert, Paige, Bryan and Molly Blackmon, Owen Watkins and Cadence, Wyatt, Carleigh and Waylon Conger. Margaret is also survived by her first cousins, Shirley Head, Betty Armstrong and Douglas Grant, Jr., and her great friend, Tom Gregory. The family expresses its profound gratitude to Mother's caregiver, Lois Hailey, who has been her devoted companion and friend for many years, and to the staff of the Memory Care Unit at The Hamptons, Hospice of East Texas and Heart-to-Heart Hospice. A memorial service will be held Saturday, December 12, at 2:00 p.m., in the Chapel at Marvin United Methodist Church with Rev. Gerry Giles officiating, and friends may visit with the family immediately after the service in the church parlor. Service are under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home in Tyler. Memorial gifts may be made to Marvin Missions, 300 W. Erwin, Tyler, Texas 75702.

Margaret Watkins

August 1, 1920 - December 8, 2015