Robert William Watkins

1932 - 2021

Robert William Watkins

Las Cruces - Robert William Watkins, 89, of Las Cruces, NM, passed away on June 26, 2021 at his home in Las Cruces.

Robert was born in Las Cruces to Wilbur Ellis Watkins and Esther Evangeline Blickenstaff on April 27, 1932. He graduated from Las Cruces High School in 1950 and received a B.S. in Industrial Technology from Kansas State University in 1957. He married Anne Rice Watkins on June 4, 1954. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps from 1953 to 1955, and he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. He worked for the US Civil Service, Department of the Army at White Sands Missile Range as a missile engineer from 1959 until his retirement in 1989.

He was an elder and deacon in the First Presbyterian Church, Las Cruces, NM, and volunteered after his retirement with the WSMR Historical Foundation.

Robert will be remembered as a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather, and his family will always treasure the memories of his kindness, good nature, and frequent humor.

Robert is preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Anne Rice Watkins, and his son Gregory Ellis.

Robert is survived by his daughter Cynthia Anne Watkins of Las Cruces, his son Robert Lowell Watkins and daughter-in-law Carol Savage Watkins, of Las Cruces, his brother Stanley Read Watkins, of Cedar Rapids, IA, three grandchildren, Matthew Elías Garley of Queens, NY, Emily Jeanne (Michael) Leslie of Portland, ME, and Robert Allan (Sydney) Watkins of Las Cruces, and one great-grandchild, Nora Jane Watkins of Las Cruces.

Memorial contributions may be made to Roadrunner Food Bank, rrfb.org.

The family would like to thank Dr. Harry Bass, M.D., Kevin Hilts from Home Instead, Zoe Christian, Physical Therapist, and Mesilla Valley Hospice.

The family is holding private services.

Arrangements are with La Paz-Grahams Funeral Home, 555 West Amador Las Cruces, NM, 88005. To sign the online guest book, visit

www.LaPaz-Grahams.com.