Helen Marie Watkins

Helen Marie Watkins, 69, passed away on Friday, March 1, 2019 at Shady Grove Hospital.  She was the wife of Ronald Watkins for 49 ½ years. She had been suffering from several medical conditions for several weeks and was being cared for at home for the past month. She was born at Montgomery General Hospital, Olney, on December 19, 1949, daughter of the late Jesse and Dorothy Oland Ridgely. She graduated in 1967 from Mt Airy High School and was a member of the last class from MAHS. She was a beautician for several years in the Woodbine and Damascus area.  She met her husband at the Mt. Airy Lions Club carnival in 1967, and was married in October, 1969. In 1974, after the birth of her second child, she began following her dream to become a ceramicist and crafter, learning the skills and participating in many craft shows.  She learned to paint, and became very proficient at creating beautiful pictures with oils, acrylics, pen and ink, pencil, and color pencils.  She also was accomplished at crocheting and knitting.

She enjoyed traveling, especially her trips to Florida and to the Heart of Ohio Tole Painters Convention in Columbus, Ohio each summer.  She attended the classes there and learned new techniques for her painting skills. She spent much of the warmer months at their trailer at Beach Harbor in Grasonville. She loved her large collection of stuffed teddy bears.

Marie is survived by her husband Ronnie, her son Thomas Watkins and his wife Jeanie of Mt. Airy, her daughter Shannon Halikman and husband Ian; and grand-daughter Faith, of Waldorf, MD.  She is also survived by sisters Laura Scott and husband David of Taylorsville, and Linda Bennett and husband Gerry of Damascus, and several nieces and nephews.  She was pre-deceased by her brother, Sonny.

Friends may call 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. Thursday, March 7 at Molesworth-Williams Funeral Home, 26401 Ridge Road, Damascus, Maryland 20872.  Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 8 at the funeral home.  Reverend Phillip Ayres and Rev. Franklin Bishop will officiate.  Interment will follow in Howard Chapel United Methodist Cemetery,  Long Corner, MD.  Pallbearers will be Tom Watkins, Ian Halikman, Dale Browning, Floyd Aldridge, Don Brightwell, and Ed Halikman.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.molesworthwilliams.com 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Helen Marie Watkins, please visit our floral store.