Shirley Ann Watkins

Shirley Ann Andrews Watkins, resident of Memphis with extended family members in Fayette and Hardeman counties and wife of the late Howard Wesley Watkins died Tuesday afternoon, December 20, 2011 at the Methodist University Hospital in Memphis where she had been a patient for two days. She was 71 years of age and died following a brief illness.

Services of Remembrance for Mrs. Watkins will be conducted at 11 A.M. Friday, December 23rd at Middleburg Baptist Church in the Middleburg Community of Hardeman County with Bro. Ricky Watkins, pastor of the church officiating. Interment will follow in the Middleburg Cemetery near Hickory Valley and Bolivar. Arrangements are provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes and Cremation Center — Main Chapel of Somerville.

Mrs. Watkins was born January 22, 1940 in Mississippi County, Arkansas near Blytheville. She was preceded in death by her parents, William Frances Andrews and Mary Ellen Weeks Andrews. She moved at an early age to Memphis where she received her education in the Memphis Public School System. She was married to Howard Welsey Watkins who preceded her in death on August 11, 2009.

Mrs. Watkins was of the Baptist faith and was a homemaker throughout her life. In earlier years, she enjoyed operating an ice cream novelty truck and was also employed in the retail grocery business in Memphis. Her interests included special television programs, music, flowers and gardening.

Mrs. Watkins is survived by three sons, Wesley Howard Watkins (Barbara) of Memphis, Anthony Earl Watkins (Bettyann) of Medon, TN, Charles S. Watkins (Vickie) of District 15 Community in Fayette County; three sisters, Dorothy “Sister” Barkley of Houston, MS, Ruthie Young of Houston, MS, Patsy Rybka of Chicago, IL; twelve grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Those honored to serve as casketbearers were family members and friends.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Middleburg Cemetery Association, 330 Enon Lane, Bolivar, TN 38008.