Obituary of Judith A. Watkins

Judith A. Watkins, 74, of Hilton Head Island, passed away at home on Saturday, January 2nd, 2021, after a short battle with cancer.

Judy was born to Thomas Spencer and Martha Jane Collette on September 5th, 1946, in Springfield, Ohio. Her family later moved to Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, where she graduated from Cedar Cliff High School in 1964. She attended the University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, CT.

She married to H. Craig Watkins in 1971, and they raised their two children together in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, before relocating to Hilton Head Island in retirement.

Judy was a dedicated mother and spent many years as a homemaker before training as a registered nurse. In 1993 she earned her B.S. in Nursing from Harrisburg Area Community College and pursued a career in psychiatric nursing at the Harrisburg State Hospital. She fervently believed in mental health causes.

Judy is survived by her loving husband of nearly 50 years, Craig, her son, T. Craig Watkins and wife Kristy of Ridgewood, NJ, and her daughter Allison Lindeman and husband Oeyvind, of London, England. Judy is also survived by five grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and younger brother, James Collette.

Judy was a dedicated mother and ‘Grammie’ before everything else. She loved doting on her young grandchildren. She was immensely proud of her family. Her giving spirit carried into all that she did, including her volunteerism at Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head Clinic, a charity very special to her. Judy’s bubbly and sometimes quirky personality was irresistible and her laugh infectious as her family and friends can attest.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head.