Burnet Bulletin - Dennis N. Watkins March 1, 1942 ~ Feb. 13, 2013

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Dennis N. Watkins March 1, 1942 ~ Feb. 13, 2013

February 06, 2013, 9:08 am by Staff Reports

Dennis Newt Watkins, 70, of Horseshoe Bay, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 13. Born March 1, 1942 in Brady, he was the son of Dale and Geneva Watkins and the youngest of three siblings. He attended public schools in Lohn and McCamey before grbaduating from Texas Tech University and earning his Masters Degree in Business Administration. Watkins was a member and chapter advisor of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. From 1963 to 1964, he served as president of the Double T Association.
Upon college graduation, he was named Dean of Men at Texas Tech prior to going to Texas Wesleyan University as Dean of Students. His career continued in various directions from owning and operating a restaurant near Santa Fe, N.M., to spending the last 20 years with TXU before retiring to Horseshoe Bay in 2004. He was a member of the Texas Tech Alumni Association and served on the Texas Tech Hill Country Board of Advisors.
Watkin’s passion for sports began in middle school with baseball and continued in high school where he excelled in basketball and football. He lettered in football at Texas Tech and was a fervent, proud, and lifelong Red Raider fan. After college, he played in adult basketball leagues in Lubbock, Dallas and Oklahoma City. Following participation, Watkins became an avid spectator sports fan. He took up golf in retirement and enjoyed the camaraderie that it afforded while he also worked part-time positions to keep himself busy.
He fostered close relationships with lifelong school friends and relatives from each side of his family, and was very faithful in attending annual reunions held by all three groups. He gathered
friends in all areas where he resided and enjoyed fostering those relationships with frequent contacts and visits. He was loved and cherished by so many and could be counted on to be the life of the party with his keen, sharp wit. Watkins will be remembered as a faithful friend, easily loved and fun loving, and one who had a knack for making real connections with the people in his life.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Ronald Dale Watkins; son Cody Dale Watkins and brother-in-law Jim Craig. He is survived by wife Mary; step-daughter Sherri Adler of
Horseshoe Bay; sister Mary Ellen and husband Buddy Shackelford of Arlington; sister-in-law Cindy Watkins of Norman, Okla.; four nieces and four nephews; and a host of dear friends and relatives.
A special appreciation is given to all the loving friends and relatives who were so caring during his illness.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23 at First United Methodist Church in Brady.
Condolences may be offered at www.clementswilcoxfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the directions of Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home of Marble Falls.