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Willard Dean Watkins was born in Canton, Ohio, on February 14,
1931, to Willard Merrill and Hazel Irene (Wilds) Watkins. In the latter
part of the "Great Depression" when his parents were divorced,
he went to live with his paternal grandparents, Aaron Sherman* and Emma
Laura (Davis) Watkins, in Rushsylvania, Ohio. Emma became the driving
influence in Dean's life from the second through the sixth grade. She
assumed this responsibility at the age of
81. After the death of Aaron in 1941, Dean, with his father and
grandmother, remained in the home until Willard's work forced a transfer
to Indianapolis, IN.
Dean's father married his second wife, Lena
Fern (Smeltzer) Adams, in January 1943, and with Dean moved to Indianapolis.
Dean finished grade school at School #60 and graduated from Shortridge
High School in 1949. He enrolled at Butler University but was drafted
into the army after his sophomore year. He spent two years in the Military
Police stationed in Germany where he was responsible for maintaining
the radio receiver/transmitters for the M. P. Company. After his service
was completed he returned to Indianapolis where he married Diana Jean
Cox in 1954. He returned to Butler University where he received a B.
S. Degree in Physics in 1959.
After a short stint at
Diamond Chain Company, he went to work in the Materials Test Laboratory
of Naval Avionics Center. After nineteen years as a materials engineer,
he decided on a career change and went to work as a design engineer
at Hughes Aircraft Company in Tucson, AZ. He retired from Hughes in
1993. He was serving as a staff engineer at the time
of his retirement.
Dean and Diana have three children, a boy
and two girls. Their children have presented them with five grand children
and two great-grand children. Dean and Diana have been active members
of New Testament Baptist Church for twenty years. Dean is a substitute
pianist and organist and leads the congregational singing in the pastor's
Sunday School Class. Diana is the interpreter for the deaf in the hearing
church services and coordinates the activities for the deaf class with
the hearing church. Dean and Diana will soon celebrate their 45th wedding
anniversary.
* Aaron Sherman Watkins was the National Prohibition Party's candidate
for vice-president in 1908 and 1912, and the presidential candidate
in 1920.
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