Miller Leslie Watkins, Jr.

Longtime Gainesville resident Miller Leslie Watkins, Jr. passed away at home with his family at his side on Friday, December 30, 2011.

A memorial service for Mr. Watkins will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, January 2nd at Lakewood Baptist Church, 2325 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville. Reverends Tom Smiley and Jerry Gill will conduct the service, and the family will receive friends in the Church Fellowship Hall afterwards.

Mr. Watkins was born in Augusta, Georgia, on October 20, 1938, to the late Evelyn Pate Watkins and the late Miller Leslie Watkins, Sr. After graduating from Georgia Southern University in 1962, he started his career at the Georgia Power Company, where he served as Northeast Georgia District Manager from 1972 until his retirement in 1995. He was an original Board Member of Lanier Park Hospital, President of the Hall County Chamber of Commerce, President of the Rotary Club, and he was active with many other local civic organizations and boards. For more than two decades, he was instrumental in the economic growth of Gainesville and Hall County. He was a long time member of the Lakewood Baptist Church and the Men's Bible Class. An avid gardener and fisherman, he was happiest in his barn or garden or fishing on Lake Lanier with his friends.

Mr. Watkins is survived by his wife of 46 years, Jane Watkins; his son Miller Leslie Watkins III of Los Angeles, California; his daughter Amanda Watkins, of New York, New York; his sister Joan Watkins Short of Augusta, Georgia; his sister and brother-in-law Gloria and Stanley Crouch of Augusta, Georgia; his sisters-in-law Joanne Sosebee of Toccoa, Georgia, and Gail Turner of Roswell, Georgia, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Under the Bridge Ministry of Lakewood Baptist Church or to the donor's chosen charity.

Those wishing to send online condolences may do so at littledavenport.com
Little & Davenport Funeral Home, 355 Dawsonville Highway, S.W., Gainesville, Ga. 30501 is in charge of arrangements.