REV. WILLIAM WATKINS
Rev. William M. "W.M." Watkins, age 79, was promoted to Heaven to meet his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Sunday morning, March 6th, at his home.
He was born May 20, 1925, to the late Willie and Jenny Watkins. He was a Pentecostal Holiness minister for 58 years, having begun his ministry at the age of 21 in 1946. In the early years, he had a radio ministry and held tent revivals. He pastored churches at Tyndall's Grove, Whitley, Jones's Grove, Holly Hill, St. Pauls, Belhaven, Hoboken, Vaughn's Chapel, Calypso, Beaufort, Pike's Crossroads and Mount Olive before retiring in 1988. He married Ella West Lambert on December 24, 1946, and they began their ministry of serving the Lord together through preaching, singing, and evangelizing. He also worked as an automobile mechanic and television repairman.
W. M. was preceded in death by a sister, Lina Watkins, and two brothers, Windsor and Alton Watkins.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 9, in the chapel of Parrish Funeral Home in Selma with the Rev. Chris Thompson, Pentecostal Holiness Superintendent for North Carolina, Rev. Jimmie Swinson, Rev. Marvin Smith, and Rev. Charles Pittman officiating. Burial will follow in Selma Memorial Gardens.
In addition to his wife, Rev. Watkins is survived by his daughters, Connie Price Sprague and husband Tony of Princeton; Rev. Kathy Duszynski and husband John of Chapel Hill; his son, Rev. W. Chris Watkins and wife Christy of Mount Olive; grandchildren, Christie P. Grimes and husband Todd of Eureka, Candice P. Buzzard and husband Mathew of Alaska; Trevor Duszynski of Chapel Hill, Emily and Jacob Watkins of Mount Olive; two great grandchildren, Darrian and Devin Grimes of Eureka; his brother, James Watkins, and sister, Eunice Watkins, both of Smithfield.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home Tuesday night from 6 to 8, and at other times at the Watkins home on Main Street in Micro.
(Written & Paid by the Family)
Published in Obituaries on March 8, 2005 2:06 PM