Franklin Delano Watford, 78, departed this life peacefully at his home on September 18, 2012. He was born in Bertie County, NC, the youngest child of eight to the late Drawie and Mamie Watford. He was a retired U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, served in the Vietnam War and retired after twenty years of service. He later became a Senior Systems Analyst at the City of Virginia Beach, where he retired in 1989. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Henrietta Watford; their children, Joyce Winn and husband Tony, Jeffery Watford and wife Patrice, Reginald Watford, Regina Robinson and husband Elijah, Denise Harvey and husband Wilbur, and Derek Watford and wife Sarita ; 10 grandchildren Ryan and Lauren Wynn, Sherice and DeNita Fair, Elijah Robinson, III, Logan, Ameia and Kamerin Harvey, Tai and Nina Watford and three great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held at 1:30 pm, Saturday, September 22, 2012 at Mount Gilead Missionary Baptist Church, 1057 Kennedy St, Norfolk, VA 23513. A Family Service will be held from 7:00 – 8:00 pm on Friday, September 21, 2012 at Rosewood-Kellum Funeral Home, 601 North Witchduck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23462. A military interment service will be held 11:00 a.m., Saturday, October 20, 2012 at Rosewood Memorial Park.
