Henry Joel Watkins IV

We are saddened to share that Joel Watkins, a man of remarkable intellect, quick wit, and a distinct sense of humor, passed away on November 9th at 73 years old, nearly a decade after he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. He is survived by his daughter Nicole Watkins, brother Richard Watkins, and nephews Sam and Drew Watkins.

Henry Joel Watkins IV was born in Seattle, Washington, on March 30th, 1951, to Patricia Calene Watkins and Henry Joel Watkins III. The family of three quickly became four when, 11 months later, his brother Richard was born.

Joel spent his childhood playing in the wilds of View Ridge and passing through the halls of the Seattle public school system from View Ridge Elementary to Eckstein Middle School. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1969 and attended The University of Wyoming on a ski racing scholarship, where he raced for a year on the ski team. Missing the Pacific Northwest, Joel returned and completed the remainder of his bachelor's degree at the University of Washington.

Joel spent his junior year abroad, studying French in Avignon and taking courses based at The London School of Economics. Joel was deeply curious about the world and its history. Upon completing his coursework abroad, he connected with his brother Richard and childhood friend Charles Mulvehill. They embarked on a trip through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and back. After his adventure, Joel returned to the U.S. and graduated in 1974.

At the end of Joel’s student deferments, due to his low draft number, he found himself in the draft induction process. Lingering health issues from his time abroad caused him to fail his physical. Later that year, Joel attended graduate studies at the UW and obtained a Master’s degree in Comparative Literature. Joel went on to attend Willamette University School of Law, where he met good friends John Weil, Michael Sandoval, and Angela Nolan. He graduated, passed the bar in 1980, and practiced law in Seattle until 2016.

Joel was a passionate skier. He first began skiing at 3 years old with his family, who stayed at the original Skier’s Inc. cabin at Ski Acres. In 1960, the family skied at Steven’s Pass before investing in Crystal Mountain Founders Club upon its opening in 1962. From childhood through retirement, Joel skied at Crystal, racing with the Crystal Mountain Alpine Club (CMAC) and attending summer ski camps as a teenager at Crystal Mtn, Mt. Hood, Mt Baker and Pinnacle Peak in Mount Rainier National Park.

Joel married Andrea Herrick in 1994, and Nicole was born in 1996. Joel taught Nicole to ski, and the family spent most weekends at Crystal Mountain Skiers Inc., an offshoot of the Skier’s Inc. Club at Ski Acres. As an outdoorsman, Joel first attempted a Mount Rainier climb while in high school alongside his brother as part of a climbing course led by Rainier Mountaineering Inc. He later summited the mountain in 1991 with his then-wife, Andrea Herrick. Joel and Andrea raised their daughter Nicole based on their shared passions for skiing, the great outdoors, and the arts.

Joel is known among his friends for his clever sense of humor, deep knowledge of history and culture, and a love of reading and good food. His humor resulted from his quiet observation, and if someone were to ask for his thoughts, Joel would gift them a sharp witticism. With an encyclopedic mind, he never stopped learning, reading voraciously, and seeking out art and history museums in every city. When Joel wasn’t traveling to new and interesting places, he was traveling through the pages of a good book, often bringing his daughter right along with him.