Charlotte M. Watkins

Charlotte died on August 20, 2015 in Wilmington, North Carolina.

She was born on March 24, 1921, in Coffeyville, Kansas, the daughter of the late Amber and Seward Metcalf. Charlotte also was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Dr. Carlton G. Watkins and grandsons Robert, Adam and Lloyd D. H. Watkins II.

She is survived by her children: Lloyd D. H. Watkins (Sue), Carlton G. Watkins, Jr. (Laurie), Melissa W. Bagby (Jerry Ramsey) and Charlotte Lou Gorry (Peter); her grandchildren: Zeb Campbell (Cindy), Erin Weller (Chris), Bacot Watkins, Amber Holland, Gunter Watkins, John Watkins (Sarah), Sam Bagby (Jaclyn), Tom Bagby-Moon (Jenna), Natalie Shaw (Dave), Shane Gorry, Lauren Ann Gorry, Jay Mulwee and Dawn Watkins; her great-grandchildren: Kevin Dowd, Mia & Henry Shaw, Cassie & Mason Campbell, and Greyson Bagby; her great-great grandchildren: Chandler Watkins and McKenzie Dowd; and a host of dear friends.

Charlotte attended Kansas State College, was a graduate of St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Kansas City, Missouri and received post-graduate training in Pediatrics at St Louis Children’s Hospital at Washington University in St Louis. For most of her life, Charlotte lived in Charlotte, North Carolina where she established herself as a leader in the community. Charlotte was on numerous boards and task forces including: First President of Charlotte Jaycettes (1950-51), Charter Member and First President of P.E.O. Chapter G (1958-60), First President of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Council of PTA’s (1960-62), Board Member of Charlotte Area Fund (1963-65), Member of numerous task forces focused on Education, Alcoholism, Family Life, Reading, Juvenile Delinquency and Minorities (1968-72), President of the North Carolina PTA (1968-70), National PTA Board of Managers (1968-74), National PTA Vice-President Region III (1970-72), Member of President Nixon’s Cabinet Committee on Education and Desegregation (1969-71), Board Member of the NC Zoological Society (1973-83), Member Charlotte-Mecklenburg Commission on Community Relations (1974-76), President Charlotte YWCA (1975-77), Member of Board of The Relatives (1988-90), President Shepard Center of Charlotte (1989-90), and Board Member of Council on Aging (1981-98). In connection with her interest and efforts related to desegregation of the public schools, Charlotte obtained a grant for the National PTA from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare so that she could conduct human relations workshops in the southern States (1970), and she was the Executive Producer of a film entitled “Someone Has to Listen” which was shown to audiences across the United States (1971).

In addition to her involvement in the organizations represented above, Charlotte was an active member of the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Charlotte, Mecklenburg Senior Democrats, and Bridge Builders of Mecklenburg Ministries. In recognition of her numerous contributions, in 1969, Charlotte was named the WBT Woman of the Year in Charlotte; in 2004, she was presented with the Woman of Achievement Award by the YWCA of the Central Carolinas; and in 2010, she received the first Charlotte Watkins Beacon Award from the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Charlotte.

More important than any of these activities or accomplishments was Charlotte’s ability to lead all who knew her by the way that she lived. Even when Charlotte was the patient during her many hospital stays, her attention was always focused on the other people in the room whether they were family, friends or caregivers. She showed us how to give, how to accept others who are different from ourselves, how to learn, how to laugh and how to love with our whole heart. Charlotte left the world in the same way that she lived, with grace, courage and determination. Her legacy will live on in all who were fortunate enough to have known her.

A Service of Celebration of Charlotte’s life will be held at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Charlotte on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 2:00 p.m.

The family requests that memorial gifts be sent to the YWCA Central Carolinas to support the Families Together Program which provides housing for homeless families, 3420 Park Road, Charlotte, North Carolina 28209 Attn: Development Office or to The Endowment Fund of the Unitarian-Universalist Church, 234 N. Sharon-Amity, Charlotte, North Carolina 28211.

Charlotte’s family wishes to give special thanks and praise to the wonderful nursing staff at Davis Health Care and the Lower Cape Fear Hospice in Wilmington for the compassionate care shown to Charlotte and to the family.