Funeral services for A. Duane Watkins, 70, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, December 10, 2011, at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains, Missouri, with Brother Bill Bales, Pastor Nolan Wilkerson, and Eulogoist, Roger D. Watkins officiating, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains, Missouri
He was born the son of the late Alfred E. Watkins and Gertrude Shelton Watkins, on December 30, 1940 in Thomasville, Missouri and died December 8, 2011 in West Plains, Missouri.
He is survived by the mother of his children, Jennie Watkins, West Plains, Missouri; four children, Misti Long, husband, Curtis, Eva, Tennessee, Sheila Uchtman, husband, Kenny, West Plains, Missouri, Diane Robinson, Pearland, Texas, and Roger D. Watkins, West Plains, Missouri; three brothers, Ted Watkins, wife, Elizabeth, Rover, Missouri, James (Don) Watkins, Rover, Missouri, and Harley Watkins, wife, Bernadette, Rover, Missouri; three sisters, Betty Sue Pitcock, husband, Frank, West Plains, Missouri, Beulah (Billie) Stavros, Chicago, Illinois, and Bonnie Myers, husband, Leand, Braidwood, Illinois; eleven grandchildren, Cassey, Andi, Chase, Joshua, Jeremy, Ashley, Jessica, William, Carol, Tina, and Sabrina, and twelve great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers.
He attended the First Christian Church in West Plains. He was a champion square dancer for several years.He was employed with the Parks and Recreation Department for the City of West Plains for twenty-nine years. He was an official licensed umpire for the State of Missouri, umpiring for the City of West Plains for thirty-two years. In the spring of 1998, the City of West Plains Parks and Recreation Department honored Duane by naming a ballfield after him, The Duane Watkins Ballfield. He also coached basketball and softball for the city youth leagues for several years.
Family visitation will be held Friday, December 9, 2011, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Carter Funeral Home Chapel, West Plains, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and can be left at Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains, Missouri.
Burial will be in Huddleston Cemetery, Oregon County, Missouri, under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc., West Plains.
December 9, 2011 @ 10:23 pm
To the family of Duane: I’m so sorry to hear of the passing of Duane. My husband, Tom Braden, and I were teachers at Thomasville when Duane was in high school there. Sincere condolences to your family.