He was born October 30, 1919 in Madison County to Ulrich Armstrong and Jennie Hammond Watlington and spent his formative years working, tussling, and learning with his seven brothers and three sisters. Before enlisting in U.S. Air Force, he was in the Civil conservation Corps, stationed in Athens, TN where he met his future wife, Carolyn Miller, whom he married six years later. They enjoyed 68 years together before her death in 2013.
During WWII, Herman piloted a B-17 bomber on 50 missions from northern Italy to targets in Germany and Austria. Though he sometimes lost engine power and almost always endured flak damage to his plane, the Flak Happy, he was always able to return to base safely. Upon returning home, he and Carolyn married and settled in Memphis where they started their family and made lifelong friends. In 1962, they moved to Jackson where Herman joined Watlington Brothers Construction Company, working as an estimator and project manager until his retirement.
A lifelong Methodist, he was member of Malesus Methodist Church his entire life, except for his years in Memphis, where he and Lynn were members of Calvary Methodist. During the last five years he frequently attended Aldersgate UMC where he was surrounded by love. Always civic minded, he was a charter member of the South Jackson Civitan Club, a member of the Men’s Civic Club of Malesus, and for seven years was Scoutmaster of Malesus Boy Scout Troup 18.
In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Michel Watlington; two sisters, Clara Mai King and Evelyn Black; and brothers, Mack, Kenneth, Sam, Paul, John, Elton, and Joe.
He is survived by his daughters Jennie Longmire (Gerald) and Joy Meriwether (John); daughter in law, Margaret Watlington; grandchildren, Mack Watlington (Grace), Caleb Meriwether (Whitney), Laurel Bateman (Jake), Hunter Meriwether (Lauren) and Chloe Meriwether; great grandson, Henning; step great grandchildren, Tiger and Marcia; and sister Betty Williams.
The family will receive friends and loved ones on Friday, January 11, 2019 from 4-7 p.m. in the South Chapel of George A. Smith and Sons
The funeral service is to be conducted on Saturday, January 12, 2019 at 11 a.m. at Malesus United Methodist Church with interment to follow in Ebenezer Cemetery in Malesus.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorials to be directed to any United Methodist Church or YouthTown of Tennessee.
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