Pat Watkins

Pat Watkins passed away peacefully and into the arms of the Lord on March 25, 2017 at the age of 86. Patricia Jean Cargile was born in Ft. Smith, Arkansas to Luther & Lucille Cargile on July 23, 1930, her father's birthday. She graduated early from high school, at age 16, in Rogers, Arkansas and attended college at Arkansas Tech, graduating in the spring of 1949. Soon after, on June 19, 1949, Pat was married to Paul Bryan Watkins, also of Rogers. The next year the couple welcomed Richard Marion (Rick), the first of two sons, on May 31, 1950. Three months later, in September 1950, Paul mobilized for the Korean War with the 936th Field Artillery Group. After Paul returned form Korea the couple was joined by their second son, John Ruston (Rus), on March 18, 1954, and Pat began her teaching career soon thereafter. She received her undergraduate degree in education from the University of Arkansas in January of 1964, and her masters' degree in education in January of 1967, also from the University of Arkansas. Pat loved to tell stories of her family's life in Rogers, remembering late-into-the-night competitive card games and family outings, her sons' sports activities, golf, hunting, skeet shooting, and water skiing on Table Rock Lake. Her close-knit extended family and friends from their high school and college years always remained dear to her heart. In 1966 the family relocated to Lufkin, Texas where Pat continued her teaching career. The family activities, the boys' sports, quail hunting, skeet shooting and card games continued for the four decades Pat lived in Lufkin where she reluctantly bid farewell to the teaching she so loved and began a successful real estate career. She and Paul were at the center of a close group of longtime friends who included their families with weekends spent at the lake, cookouts and bridge parties. Pat loved board games and was an avid and very competitive card player all her life, as many of her friends and family members will attest. She was also a master bridge player, and very seldom lost, much to the chagrin of her opponents. After losing Paul to cancer, she retired and moved to Houston in 2005 to be nearer her sons' families and her granddaughters, Olivia Lucile Watkins, Garland Marie Watkins, and Marion Elizabeth Watkins. Pat is survived by sons Rick, and his wife Sherron Smith Watkins, and their daughter Marion, and Rus Watkins and his daughters, Olivia and Garland, as well as numerous other relatives and friends, who all attest to her amazing skills at scrabble and contract rummy which remained intact to the last. Pat remained a loyal Razorback fan her whole life and was particularly thrilled about the family outing to the 2014 Texas Bowl, which was attended by her entire family, where her Arkansas Razorbacks defeated the Texas Longhorns one last time, 31 to 7. Her granddaughters were always amazed by Pat's amazing Hog Call! She loved all things about the University of Arkansas, and any sport being contested by her Razorbacks enjoyed her fierce support. No one ever called her beloved Hogs more enthusiastically, unabashedly, proudly, or loudly than she did - in any setting. The family will receive visitors on Thursday, March 30, 2017 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Klein Funeral Home, 1400 W. Main Street, Tomball, Texas. A celebration of Pat's life will take place on Sunday, April 2nd in Rogers, Arkansas at Rollins Lough Funeral Home, with a graveside service at Benton County Memorial Park on Monday at 10 a.m., April 3, 2017.