Bettie Camille Watkins

Bettie Shields Watkins, age 91, died Monday, April 1, 2013, in Columbus, OH. The wife of Harry Watkins, Jr.; she was born November 17, 1921 in Manchester, OH, the first of two children born to Thomas and Gertrude Woods Shields. Bettie loved learning and reading, a passion that continued throughout her life and was revealed through her love for teaching and education. She was a member of Second Baptist Church and also Pleasant Green Baptist Church in Portsmouth, OH. She was educated in the Portsmouth Public Schools, and received her B.A. and Masters from Ohio State University. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Bruce Johnson, Sr. and to their union was born a son, Bruce Johnson, Jr. She taught in the Columbus Public Schools at the elementary level, and retired as a school administrator. A life-long member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., she was a member of the Youth Service Guild and other social service organizations. Wonderful memories are cherished by her son, Bruce (Senora) Johnson, Jr., of Lexington KY; grandchildren, Bruce Scott Johnson, of Durham, NC, Ryan (Candy) Johnson, of Frankfort KY; and their three sons. She leaves to mourn her death other relatives including her brother, Charles Shields, of Columbus OH; nephews, Stuart (Beverley) Shields, of Florence SC; Lance Shields, of Columbus OH. She was held in high esteem by her stepchildren, Altheria Unger, of Columbus OH, Harry (Melba) Watkins, III, of Springfield, VA.; Leonard (Barbara) Watkins, of Akron, OH; Cornell (Ginger) Watkins, of Belpre, OH; Victor (Nazley) Watkins, of Greenville, SC; Marcus Watkins, of Columbus, OH; Chante’ (Tony) Siler, of Bexley, OH and a host of step-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters-in-law, Paralee Compton, of Canton, OH; Mitchell Watkins, of Canton, OH; Joe Watkins, of Dayton, OH; Elizabeth (Marshall) Barnes, of Columbus, OH, and many friends.