James Henry Watkins Jr

James Henry Watkins, Jr., was born on March 9, 1933, in Atlanta, GA., to James Henry Watkins Sr. and Ruby Estelle Parker. He passed on May 6, 2024. He lived to the age of 91 and will be buried in Acton, Massachusetts, with his late wife, Virginia. His calm and caring presence will be missed by those who called him friend and father.

Jim was an ambitious teenager growing up in Decatur, Georgia, where he played basketball, football, ran track, was on the student council and the school newspaper at Southwest Dekalb High School. Tennessee Wesleyan University brought him to campus on a football scholarship in 1950. He enlisted in the Army National Guard that same year and eventually paused his studies to serve on active duty with the U.S. Army Security Agency in Germany from 1953 to 1955. After receiving an honorable discharge, he began working with Sun Life Financial in 1955, and eventually completed his education at the University of Georgia in 1957.

The following year he married Virginia Sharpe on June 14 at Mt. Carmel Christian Church in Decatur, GA. Together they raised four children Jimmy, Lisa, Cindy and Mary. He was a caring father who worked tirelessly with Sun Life Financial as a Group Manager until he retired after losing his beloved wife, Virginia, to illness in 1989. He was subsequently married to Marcia until 2014, whom he met shortly after they each lost their spouse. He is survived by his four children, 7 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his two brothers William and Douglas.