BOURBON – Max J. Watkins, 81, of Bourbon, passed away at 6:51 p.m. May 18, 2012, in St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, Mishawaka.
He was born Feb. 28, 1931, in Bourbon, to Henry and Catherine Miller Watkins. On Jan. 3, 1953, he married Eleanor Hazen, who survives.
A lifelong resident of Bourbon, he graduated from Bourbon High School in 1949 and was a lifetime member of Hepton Union Church. He was a farmer and past Bourbon Township trustee for 40 years. He was a very active Bourbon Lions Club member, served on the Marshall County Plan Commission, was director and president of Farmer’s Mutual Insurance Co. of Marshall and St. Joseph counties. Also surviving are his children: Michael Watkins, Nappanee; Gerry (and spouse Pam) Watkins, West Chester, Ohio; and Kandi (and spouse Roger) Schori and Rod (and spouse Tammy) Watkins, all of Bourbon; grandchildren: Ashley, Brittany, Lindsey (and spouse Mike) Schmidt, Chad, Ryan, Blake, Bailey and Brock; three great-grandchildren, twins Madison and Logan and Lucas: four sisters, Cleo Brown, Delores (and spouse Willard) Klotz and Phyllis (and spouse Robert) Blosser, all of Nappanee, and June Ganshorn, Etna Green; and brothers, Ernie (and spouse Eleanor) Watkins, Bourbon, and Dale (and spouse Mary) Watkins, Etna Green. He was preceded in death by a granddaughter; four sisters: Jessie, Gladys, Hilda and Glee; and three brothers, Ted, Robert and Harvey.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Hepton Union Church, 9266 W. Hepton Road, Nappanee, with Pastor Erick Eickhoff officiating. Burial will be in Sand Ridge Cemetery, Bourbon.
Calling is from 2 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Deaton-Clemens Funeral Home, 115 S. Main St., Bourbon. ***** Memorial may be made to the American Diabetes Association or to the Hepton Union Church.
