James Edward Watkins

JAMES EDWARD "Crook" WATKINS, age 77, of York, Alabama, born January 25, 1943 in Sumter County to the union of the late Mamie Jemison Thomas and Bill Watkins. Jimmy entered into eternal rest March 16, 2020 in Sumter Health and Rehabilitation. Graveside Service of Memory is slated for Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. in Elmwood Memorial Gardens, Highway 11 East, York, Alabama. (In case of inclement weather, the services are to be in the Weatherly Chapel.) Rev. Robert Burton, pastor of Greater Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church, Boyd, will deliver the eulogy and offer words of comfort and consolation. Visitation for family and friends is scheduled Friday evening (March 20th) from 3-6:00 p.m. also in the Weatherly Chapel. He was united in Holy Matrimony to Viola Fortner on July 31, 1964 and to this union one son Marvin DeWayne Watkins was born. James Edward confessed faith in Christ at an early age and united with the Greater Mt. Olive Primitive Baptist Church, Boyd, Alabama under the leadership of Rev. R. B. Davis. He reunited with Greater Mt. Olive and attended and served faithfully until his health began to fail. He retired from the The New York State Developmental Disabilities Service after 23 years of service. Preceding him in death are his wife Viola, his parents, two sisters, Lolita and Leonia; three brothers, Eugene, Herman and Peter. Those who remain to cherish precious memories of Crook are: his son, Marvin DeWayne Watkins and one granddaughter Zandra Watkins, both of East St. Louis, Illinois; two brothers, Calvin Thomas, Sr. Hephzibar, Ga., J. T. Thomas, Chattanooga, Tn; four sisters, Bessie Walker, Staten Island, N. Y., Judy Daymond, Tuscaloosa, AL., Pauline Slayton and Loria Thomas of York, Alabama; one sister-in-law, Modine Walton, Livingston, Alabama, many nieces, nephews, cousins and numerous other relatives and friends who will surely miss him. To the entire Watkins Family, we at Weatherly Funeral Home, offer to each of you our most sincere and heartfelt sympathy and condolences. Our prayer continues to be that your abiding faith in God will lend a measure of comfort to sustain you in the days and months ahead.