Thelma Gilless Watkins

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Mrs. Thelma Gilless Watkins, 91, of Luxora, died Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011, at Manila Nursing Center.

Born in Luxora to Joe and May Lewis Gilless, Mrs. Watkins attended Luxora Baptist Church, where she was a nursery attendant and custodian for many years. She loved to fish and garden. She always raised a big garden to feed her family.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Watkins; a son, John Watkins; a daughter, Rose Weeder; two infant daughters; and a sister, Josephine Inness.

She leaves her children, Earnest Watkins and Clarence Watkins of Half Moon, Jim Watkins of West Memphis, Joe Watkins of Osceola, and Charles and Paul Watkins of Luxora;

Three brothers, Louis Gilless of California and Joe Gilless of Folsom, La., and Eugene Gilless of Brighton, Tenn.;

A sister, Lorene Foley of New Albany, Miss.,

Twenty grandchildren; and

Several great- and great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Thursday in Cobb Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Jim Watkins officiating. The family will receive friends 1 p.m. until service time. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Condolences may be emailed to cobbfuneralhome@sbcglobal.net