Rose Teresa Watkins, 93, of Columbia passed away Friday, June 10, 2016, with loving family at her side.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 19, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 903 Bernadette Drive. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m., Monday, June 20, 2016, at the church, with burial to follow in Columbia Cemetery.
Rose was born Dec. 22, 1922, in St. Joseph to Anthony and Mary Grzegorski Wegenka. She was raised among extended family in the Goosetown neighborhood of St. Joseph, where Polish immigrants came to work in the then burgeoning meat-packing industry.
In 1941, Rose became the first girl in her family to graduate from high school, choosing to attend public school when her family could only afford to send her brothers to Catholic high school. She graduated from Central High School in St. Joseph, and she scored among the top five of her graduating class on academic achievement exams. She then attended business college and worked for the Social Security Administration. On Jan. 30, 1943, she married Paul Allen Watkins Sr. in St. Joseph. He preceded her in death March 11, 1993.
Rose's first son, Paul Allen Watkins Jr., was born July 3, 1944, in St. Joseph while his father was serving in the U.S. Army in Europe. Paul Allen Watkins, Jr., tragically preceded her in death Feb. 19, 2016.
After serving under Gen. George Patton at the Battle of the Bulge, Paul Watkins Sr. returned to Missouri, and he and Rose moved to Rolla where Paul Sr. earned a degree in civil engineering from the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, now known as Missouri University of Science and Technology. After Paul Sr. received his civil engineering degree, he and Rose returned to St. Joseph where Paul Sr. worked for many years as a construction engineer. Rose gave birth to nine more children. While in St. Joseph, Rose was an active member of Co-Cathedral Catholic Church, in addition to many civic organizations and social clubs.
In 1971, Rose and Paul Sr. moved to Columbia where they founded Watkins Roofing Company, a commercial roofing contracting business. Rose served as president of Watkins Roofing until she retired in 2015. Rose was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and was previously an active member of the Columbia chapter of the American Business Women’s Association. She was also a member of the University of Missouri Jefferson Club, a generous donor to many causes, and a season ticket holder for M.U. football and basketball for more than 40 years.
Survivors include two sons, Bob Watkins and Dan Watkins of Columbia; seven daughters, Susie (Michael) Conour and Laura Watkins of Lake Ozark, Patricia Watkins (Rand Simberg) of Redondo Beach, Calif., Pamela Watkins of Vallejo, Calif., Milissa Watkins of Phoenix, Ariz., Julie (Jeff) Barnes of New Albany, Ohio, and Martha (Bob) Brendel of Columbia; daughter-in-law, Barbara Watkins of Fenton; 16 grandchildren, Joe (Michelle) Watkins, Mary Watkins, Beth (Jon) Gardner, Matt Watkins, Angela Allen, Mike (Jadale) Allen, Sam (Meredith) Watkins, Sarah Watkins, David Winsor, Sarah (Jason) Weiss, Julie Watkins-Torry, Katie Barnes, Emma Barnes, Bo Brendel, Cole Brendel and Rose Brendel; 10 great-grandchildren; sisters, Genevieve O’Brien, Mary Hilgert, and Anne Sudo; sister-in-law, Darlene Wegenka; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband and son, Rose was preceded in death by one grandson, Peter Watkins; brothers, Anthony and Jerry Wegenka; sister, Elizabeth Slahorek; and her parents.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 19, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 903 Bernadette Drive. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m., Monday, June 20, 2016, at the church, with burial to follow in Columbia Cemetery.
Rose was born Dec. 22, 1922, in St. Joseph to Anthony and Mary Grzegorski Wegenka. She was raised among extended family in the Goosetown neighborhood of St. Joseph, where Polish immigrants came to work in the then burgeoning meat-packing industry.
In 1941, Rose became the first girl in her family to graduate from high school, choosing to attend public school when her family could only afford to send her brothers to Catholic high school. She graduated from Central High School in St. Joseph, and she scored among the top five of her graduating class on academic achievement exams. She then attended business college and worked for the Social Security Administration. On Jan. 30, 1943, she married Paul Allen Watkins Sr. in St. Joseph. He preceded her in death March 11, 1993.
Rose's first son, Paul Allen Watkins Jr., was born July 3, 1944, in St. Joseph while his father was serving in the U.S. Army in Europe. Paul Allen Watkins, Jr., tragically preceded her in death Feb. 19, 2016.
After serving under Gen. George Patton at the Battle of the Bulge, Paul Watkins Sr. returned to Missouri, and he and Rose moved to Rolla where Paul Sr. earned a degree in civil engineering from the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, now known as Missouri University of Science and Technology. After Paul Sr. received his civil engineering degree, he and Rose returned to St. Joseph where Paul Sr. worked for many years as a construction engineer. Rose gave birth to nine more children. While in St. Joseph, Rose was an active member of Co-Cathedral Catholic Church, in addition to many civic organizations and social clubs.
In 1971, Rose and Paul Sr. moved to Columbia where they founded Watkins Roofing Company, a commercial roofing contracting business. Rose served as president of Watkins Roofing until she retired in 2015. Rose was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and was previously an active member of the Columbia chapter of the American Business Women’s Association. She was also a member of the University of Missouri Jefferson Club, a generous donor to many causes, and a season ticket holder for M.U. football and basketball for more than 40 years.
Survivors include two sons, Bob Watkins and Dan Watkins of Columbia; seven daughters, Susie (Michael) Conour and Laura Watkins of Lake Ozark, Patricia Watkins (Rand Simberg) of Redondo Beach, Calif., Pamela Watkins of Vallejo, Calif., Milissa Watkins of Phoenix, Ariz., Julie (Jeff) Barnes of New Albany, Ohio, and Martha (Bob) Brendel of Columbia; daughter-in-law, Barbara Watkins of Fenton; 16 grandchildren, Joe (Michelle) Watkins, Mary Watkins, Beth (Jon) Gardner, Matt Watkins, Angela Allen, Mike (Jadale) Allen, Sam (Meredith) Watkins, Sarah Watkins, David Winsor, Sarah (Jason) Weiss, Julie Watkins-Torry, Katie Barnes, Emma Barnes, Bo Brendel, Cole Brendel and Rose Brendel; 10 great-grandchildren; sisters, Genevieve O’Brien, Mary Hilgert, and Anne Sudo; sister-in-law, Darlene Wegenka; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband and son, Rose was preceded in death by one grandson, Peter Watkins; brothers, Anthony and Jerry Wegenka; sister, Elizabeth Slahorek; and her parents.
Rose Teresa Watkins, 93, of Columbia passed away Friday, June 10, 2016, with loving family at her side.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 19, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 903 Bernadette Drive. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m., Monday, June 20, 2016, at the church, with burial to follow in Columbia Cemetery.
Rose was born Dec. 22, 1922, in St. Joseph to Anthony and Mary Grzegorski Wegenka. She was raised among extended family in the Goosetown neighborhood of St. Joseph, where Polish immigrants came to work in the then burgeoning meat-packing industry.
In 1941, Rose became the first girl in her family to graduate from high school, choosing to attend public school when her family could only afford to send her brothers to Catholic high school. She graduated from Central High School in St. Joseph, and she scored among the top five of her graduating class on academic achievement exams. She then attended business college and worked for the Social Security Administration. On Jan. 30, 1943, she married Paul Allen Watkins Sr. in St. Joseph. He preceded her in death March 11, 1993.
Rose's first son, Paul Allen Watkins Jr., was born July 3, 1944, in St. Joseph while his father was serving in the U.S. Army in Europe. Paul Allen Watkins, Jr., tragically preceded her in death Feb. 19, 2016.
After serving under Gen. George Patton at the Battle of the Bulge, Paul Watkins Sr. returned to Missouri, and he and Rose moved to Rolla where Paul Sr. earned a degree in civil engineering from the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, now known as Missouri University of Science and Technology. After Paul Sr. received his civil engineering degree, he and Rose returned to St. Joseph where Paul Sr. worked for many years as a construction engineer. Rose gave birth to nine more children. While in St. Joseph, Rose was an active member of Co-Cathedral Catholic Church, in addition to many civic organizations and social clubs.
In 1971, Rose and Paul Sr. moved to Columbia where they founded Watkins Roofing Company, a commercial roofing contracting business. Rose served as president of Watkins Roofing until she retired in 2015. Rose was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and was previously an active member of the Columbia chapter of the American Business Women’s Association. She was also a member of the University of Missouri Jefferson Club, a generous donor to many causes, and a season ticket holder for M.U. football and basketball for more than 40 years.
Survivors include two sons, Bob Watkins and Dan Watkins of Columbia; seven daughters, Susie (Michael) Conour and Laura Watkins of Lake Ozark, Patricia Watkins (Rand Simberg) of Redondo Beach, Calif., Pamela Watkins of Vallejo, Calif., Milissa Watkins of Phoenix, Ariz., Julie (Jeff) Barnes of New Albany, Ohio, and Martha (Bob) Brendel of Columbia; daughter-in-law, Barbara Watkins of Fenton; 16 grandchildren, Joe (Michelle) Watkins, Mary Watkins, Beth (Jon) Gardner, Matt Watkins, Angela Allen, Mike (Jadale) Allen, Sam (Meredith) Watkins, Sarah Watkins, David Winsor, Sarah (Jason) Weiss, Julie Watkins-Torry, Katie Barnes, Emma Barnes, Bo Brendel, Cole Brendel and Rose Brendel; 10 great-grandchildren; sisters, Genevieve O’Brien, Mary Hilgert, and Anne Sudo; sister-in-law, Darlene Wegenka; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband and son, Rose was preceded in death by one grandson, Peter Watkins; brothers, Anthony and Jerry Wegenka; sister, Elizabeth Slahorek; and her parents.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 19, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 903 Bernadette Drive. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m., Monday, June 20, 2016, at the church, with burial to follow in Columbia Cemetery.
Rose was born Dec. 22, 1922, in St. Joseph to Anthony and Mary Grzegorski Wegenka. She was raised among extended family in the Goosetown neighborhood of St. Joseph, where Polish immigrants came to work in the then burgeoning meat-packing industry.
In 1941, Rose became the first girl in her family to graduate from high school, choosing to attend public school when her family could only afford to send her brothers to Catholic high school. She graduated from Central High School in St. Joseph, and she scored among the top five of her graduating class on academic achievement exams. She then attended business college and worked for the Social Security Administration. On Jan. 30, 1943, she married Paul Allen Watkins Sr. in St. Joseph. He preceded her in death March 11, 1993.
Rose's first son, Paul Allen Watkins Jr., was born July 3, 1944, in St. Joseph while his father was serving in the U.S. Army in Europe. Paul Allen Watkins, Jr., tragically preceded her in death Feb. 19, 2016.
After serving under Gen. George Patton at the Battle of the Bulge, Paul Watkins Sr. returned to Missouri, and he and Rose moved to Rolla where Paul Sr. earned a degree in civil engineering from the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, now known as Missouri University of Science and Technology. After Paul Sr. received his civil engineering degree, he and Rose returned to St. Joseph where Paul Sr. worked for many years as a construction engineer. Rose gave birth to nine more children. While in St. Joseph, Rose was an active member of Co-Cathedral Catholic Church, in addition to many civic organizations and social clubs.
In 1971, Rose and Paul Sr. moved to Columbia where they founded Watkins Roofing Company, a commercial roofing contracting business. Rose served as president of Watkins Roofing until she retired in 2015. Rose was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and was previously an active member of the Columbia chapter of the American Business Women’s Association. She was also a member of the University of Missouri Jefferson Club, a generous donor to many causes, and a season ticket holder for M.U. football and basketball for more than 40 years.
Survivors include two sons, Bob Watkins and Dan Watkins of Columbia; seven daughters, Susie (Michael) Conour and Laura Watkins of Lake Ozark, Patricia Watkins (Rand Simberg) of Redondo Beach, Calif., Pamela Watkins of Vallejo, Calif., Milissa Watkins of Phoenix, Ariz., Julie (Jeff) Barnes of New Albany, Ohio, and Martha (Bob) Brendel of Columbia; daughter-in-law, Barbara Watkins of Fenton; 16 grandchildren, Joe (Michelle) Watkins, Mary Watkins, Beth (Jon) Gardner, Matt Watkins, Angela Allen, Mike (Jadale) Allen, Sam (Meredith) Watkins, Sarah Watkins, David Winsor, Sarah (Jason) Weiss, Julie Watkins-Torry, Katie Barnes, Emma Barnes, Bo Brendel, Cole Brendel and Rose Brendel; 10 great-grandchildren; sisters, Genevieve O’Brien, Mary Hilgert, and Anne Sudo; sister-in-law, Darlene Wegenka; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband and son, Rose was preceded in death by one grandson, Peter Watkins; brothers, Anthony and Jerry Wegenka; sister, Elizabeth Slahorek; and her parents.
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