Lee Thorton Watkins

LEE THORNTON WATKINS, son of the late Annie Sue Watkins and Jewette Porter, was born on June 5, 1930 in Oglethorpe, Georgia. He departed this life on July 16, 2009 after a lengthy illness.He was a member of Fork Bethlehem Baptist Church in Georgia.He received his education in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. He moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1953, where his mother resided. Lee was employed by Abbey Fence Co. for awhile, then decided to buy himself a truck so he could do moving and hauling and other odd jobs for people. He then decided that wasn't enough for him, so he started his own tractor trailer business hauling long-distance state to state buying tractor after tractor, never worrying if the truck would ever break down because he was his own mechanic (and everybody else's too). He could take a truck apart today and have it back together tomorrow.He and his two best friends, Woodrow Scott and Friendly Greene, were friends to the end. He made numerous friends wherever he went and will be sincerely missed by everyone who knew him. He met his future wife, Juanita Rosser, in 1962, during the time they were riding motorcycles and knew he was hot stuff. They were later married and out of this union one devoted daughter was born.He leaves to mourn: his wife, Juanita R. Watkins; five daughters, Janet Watkins, Michelle Bacon, Lisa Marshall of Baltimore, MD, Juanita Watkins of Atlanta, GA and Geneva Lattimore of Los Angeles, CA (daughter Henretta Watkins of New York preceded him in death); seven sons, Willie Lee Watkins, James Watkins, Ben Watkins, Terry Watkins, David Fitzgerald and Larry Watkins of Baltimore, MD and Bernard Watkins of New York; sister, Louise Taylor of Baltimore, MD; twenty-eight grandchildren with two special grandchildren, Rickshawnia Cooper who he called Boo-Boo and Champaigne Dixon who he called Channy (his pride and joy girls); eighteen great-grandchildren; two godsons, Delmont and Timothy Bertha; son-in-law-to-be, Raymond Williams; three sisters-in-law, Beatrice, Mattie and Ellareesie; three brothers-in-Law, Herman, Robert and Roosevelt; special nurse, Gladys Brice; his housesitter, Ms. Margo Thomas; his RN, Charlene Jordon and the staff of Gilchrist Hospice who we would like to give an extra thanks to; a host of other relatives and friends.

Tributes

Lee Thorton Watkins

June 5, 1930 - July 16, 2009