Obituary: Annie Mary Watkins
Annie Mary Watkins was born in Hickory Valley, Tennessee, on March 8, 1931, to the late Willie and Frank Jones
Her funeral service will be held at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church – Hickory Valley on Saturday February 10, 2024 at 2 p.m. with Pastor Arthur McKinnie in charge. Burial will be in the Church Cemetery and Dixie Funeral Home is in charge of the professional service.
Allen White was where she pursued her formal education.
Annie embraced Christianity and became a devoted and steadfast member of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, a congregation she joined at a young age. Prior to her health deterioration, she was a dedicated member of The Mother Board and served 15 years as a church secretary.
Mary served as a dietary worker for the Hardeman County School System for a duration of 17 years, namely at Grand Junction Elementary School and Bolivar Elementary School. She derived pleasure from the activities of cooking and baking.
Our community, known as “The Hickory Valley Road,” commemorates and pays tribute to the remarkable longevity of one of its members, who has reached the age of 92. Mary had a unique distinction as the sole surviving elder who saw a significant historical event in our town.
Annie Mary was united in Holy Matrimony on June 11, 1952, to the late Deshorn “Pete” Watkins Sr. of Saulsbury, Tennessee. With this union ten children were born and shared a total of seventeen. She was always devoted to her marriage and the perfect example of a wonderful mother and wife. Deshorn “Pete” preceded her in death on September 3, 2010.
Mary was preceded in death by husband Deshorn “Pete” Watkins; parents, Willie and Frank Jones; sons, Charles Fason, Gary Watkins, bonus son Justice Watkins, and Deshorn Watkins Jr.; siblings, Franklin Jones, Edward Jones, Charlie Jones, Laura Williams, Violet Morrow, Ellyne Allen, and Lou Willie Charles; five grandsons; one grand-daughter; two great grandsons; and one great grand-daughter.
She leaves to celebrate her life, legacy, and cherish precious memories her daughters, Deborah Watkins of Hickory Valley, Tennessee, Shearon (Harvey) Jones of Hermitage, Tennessee, Marilyn (Robert) Hopkins of Cordova, Tennessee, and Frankie Malone of Grand Junction, Tennessee; her sons, Billy Watkins, Ezell (Rosie) Watkins, and Edward (Forrestine) Watkins all of Hickory Valley, Tennessee, Travis (Alma) Watkins of San Pedro, California, and Cornell (Cynthia) Watkins and Ricky (Cheryl) Watkins both of Jackson, Tennessee; bonus children Curtis (Emma) Watkins of Hickory Valley, Tennessee, Margaret Allen of Grand Junction, Tennessee, and James Watkins of Memphis Tennessee; Fifty grand-children; One Hundred-Ten great grand-children; Sixty great great grand-children; siblings, Hazel Bills and Abb (Christine) Jones of Chicago, Illinois; Joyce Allen-Spight, a dedicated niece; Liller Mae Joy, a sister in Christ; Ricky Brown and Vernell Polk, cherished family friends; and Tawana Watkins-Defreitas and Charline Wilkes, grand-daughters and caretakers, deserve particular recognition and gratitude.
Courtesy of Dixie Funeral Home, Bolivar, Tennessee.
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