Mary Watkins

Mary Watkins

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Mary E. Watkins, 80, of Bloomington passed away Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008, at her home.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Aug. 17, at First United Methodist Church of Normal, Ill. The Revs. John McIntosh and Jim Bortell will officiate.

The family will receive friends at a reception following the service at the church.

Cremation rites were accorded. Interment of ashes will be at a later date.

Kibler-Smith Memorial Home in Bloomington handled arrangements.

Mary was born April 15, 1928, in Wiggins, Miss., daughter of Gilbert N. and Virgie Nesmith Caudle. She graduated from Parma, Mo., High School in 1946, attended Southeast Missouri State University three years, and later graduated from Drake University, Des Moines, with a teaching degree. Her academic area was English.

She married Lloyd Watkins in 1949, who served as president of West Texas State University and president of Illinois State University from 1977 until 1988.

They are the parents of three sons, John L. Watkins (Margaret) of Atlanta, Joseph W. Watkins (Michelle) of Tucson, Ariz., and Robert L. Watkins (Charmelle) of Bloomington. There are six grandchildren, Ryan, Reid and Mariana Watkins of Bloomington, and Lucas, Ehren and Emma Watkins of Tucson.

Mary worked as an executive secretary while her husband was earning graduate degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was deeply involved with the two universities where her husband served as president. At West Texas State University she spearheaded a fund drive that made possible a major landscaping project for that campus. In her 11 years as "first lady" of Illinois State University, she entertained thousands of people at the university residence, and was both an ambassador and an adviser for her husband. She enjoyed representing the university in their many national and international travels. She was never sure which foreign country she liked best, and found something wonderful about each of them. She really was the lovely American.

Mary was an avid golfer, a voracious reader and a faithful walker. She loved animals of all sorts. She had been active in the women's golf league at Crestwicke Country Club and the women's and annuitants golf leagues of ISU, and as a member of ISU Women's Golf Association.

She was a member of the Normal History Club and of a university book club. Most importantly, she was a loving wife and mother who enjoyed family events. She was a very devoted grandmother who really had fun with her grandchildren. Mary was a good friend to many because she was kind, thoughtful and loyal. She will be missed.

Memorials may be made to Illinois State University Foundation for the Lloyd and Mary Watkins Scholarship Fund which provides funding for students to study abroad; to the Humane Society of Central Illinois, 423 Kays Drive, Normal, Ill., 61761; or to McLean County Museum of History, 200 N. Main, Bloomington, Ill., 61701.