Ola Watkins

Ola Dell Watkins, 92, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2011, in Columbia, Ill.

She was born Dec. 15, 1918, in Cape Girardeau, daughter of Era and S. Elizabeth Doggett Helderman.

Survivors include three children, Dr. Eugene (Gisela) Watkins, Saundra Voll, Lois (Dr. Donald) McCrosky; four grandchildren, Aaron Watkins (Regina Woithe), Scott (Pam) Voll, David (Angela) McCrosky, Laura (Martin) Berkerey; five great-grandchildren, Luke and Josie Berkerey, Madelyn, Audrey and Sylvia McCrosky; a nephew, Wayne (Georgia) Helderman; great-nephew and niece, Clay and Julie; cousins, Clyde (Carolyn) Hawes, Myron and Theresa; brother-in-law, Joseph Eugene (Isabelle) Watkins, Michael and Gloria.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, William Henry Watkins; brothers Buford and Loy Helderman.

She was a member of First Baptist Church and Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau. She was a salesperson at Seabaugh's Shoes and Ossick's Shoes.

Ola Dell was born and raised in Cape Girardeau. One of her many noteworthy accomplishments in service to others was to gather "wild greens" for her family to keep them well. She cooked up these plants in the spring and served them to us to clean out the poisons in our bodies that had collected during the winter. This got us ready for spring and summer.

Since 1988 it was her delight to get out and collect the dried greens for the original and "pioneer remedy" that became widely popular to this day. It was produced in liquid form and distributed throughout the United States and Canada by a Michigan-based company, Pure Herbs Ltd. Her formulation was so successful it earned her a new car from the company every two years. Her son, a doctor of natural medicine, summed it up best with these words: "What a wonderful gift from the past to give to the folks in the present and the future."

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Lorimier Cemetery, with Mark Anderson officiating.

Quernheim Funeral Home in Waterloo, Ill., is in charge of arrangements.

As an expression of sympathy, the family prefers memorial contributions to Concord Presbyterian Church in Waterloo.