Donald Arthur Watkins Sr.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00 AM, Friday, October 15th at Memorial Gardens, 3825 Airport Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado. The internment will follow soon after at 12:30 PM. A reception will be held at Don and Jeanne’s best friends, Wayne and Billie Smith, 4875 Park Vista Blvd, Colorado Springs, starting at approximately 2:00 PM.

Donnie was born August 5, 1944 in Colorado Springs, Colorado to Arthur (Art) and Donna Watkins, Jr. He graduated from Roy J Wasson High School in 1962 and attended college at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colorado.

In 1967, he married Barbara Hatch and started a family, moving to Falcon in 1972, building a home and raising two children. Donnie was employed most of his working life as a database engineer in the Civil Service. He and Barbara separated in 1985. Donnie made many wonderful memories travelling the world with his brother and best friend, Dave, and other close friends. He met his devoted partner, Jeanne Watkins (Ragains) in 1989 and the two embarked on many adventures together. He loved hunting, pursuing that passion in Colorado, Alaska and Africa, fixing up old cars, riding motorcycles, boating, camping, car shows, concerts and family time. He organized the Watkins’ reunions every summer, including many gatherings in Glenwood Springs. The Watkins are an extremely close family, dating back many generations in the Colorado Springs area. Donnie was surrounded by his clan on his last day.

Donnie was a world-class prankster, famous for his epic water battles and poking holes in every beer and soda can in sight. His mischievous, sparkling, deep brown eyes, impish grin and contagious laugh will be very missed by all who loved him.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanne, his brother Dave Watkins and his wife, Paula; two children, Don Watkins, Jr. (Cristine) and Lori Nichols (Jodi); four step daughters, Kelly Charlton, Renee Ewing (Luke), Robin Sullivan, Jamie Ragains (Ivan); and 14 grandchildren and step-grandchildren: Emmaline, Jacob, Joshua, Abigail, Elisabeth, Torin, Aaron, Alyssah, Haley, Elijah, Aaric, Haden, Asiah, and Ivan, along with his very cherished nieces and nephew, Kim Calwell (Chuck), Darren Watkins (Dawn) and Katherine Jewell (Nick) and his first wife, Barbara. He was preceded in death by his parents and his cousins/close friends, Chuck and Terry.