Mr. Lee Barry Watkins

Barry was his parents only son and his mother always referred to him as her “boy baby”. His formative years were spent in North Charleston where he enjoyed a childhood with family and friends catching crawfish in drainage ditches, riding bikes, playing neighborhood baseball and football, and when nighttime fell he would catch lightning bugs with his sisters. He attended First Baptist Elementary School through the sixth grade after which he transferred to Carlisle Military School where he graduated in 1972. After graduation he attended Baptist College of Charleston where he met the love of his life, Beth Linder, in biology class. He graduated from Baptist College in 1976 and went on to attend graduate school at the Citadel where he received a Master of Education in 1979. Barry began teaching at Stall High School in 1979 where he remained the next twenty-one years coaching golf, football, baseball, while teaching biology and other science courses. In 2000 he began at Summerville High School where he continued teaching and coaching at Northwood Academy until he retired in 2008.

In 1979 he married Ruby Elizabeth Linder, known to family and friends as Beth, and they were happily married 44 years. In 1989 the first of their three children Raymond was born. Benjamin was born in 1994, and Sarah in 2000. Barry was a devoted father and spent countless hours involved in the lives of his children coaching them in baseball and football, taking them to the beach, along with other fun filled activities.

Barry was an avid hunter, fisherman, and all-around southern outdoorsman. He spent years with his friends enjoying many activities that kept him in the great outdoors during all four seasons in all kinds of weather. He hunted geese in Maryland, hunted ducks and fished in Arkansas, and hunted doves in Mexico. Barry was happiest when he was outdoors close to nature. He was an avid gardener who took great pride in landscaping his home and lawn, which he always cut on the diagonal, leading one of his friends to dub his method for mowing grass as “the Coosaw cut”.

Barry is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Linder Watkins of North Charleston SC, his children, Raymond Bradley Watkins (Ashley) of Raleigh, NC, Benjamin Lee Watkins of Nashville, TN, and Sarah Elizabeth Watkins of North Charleston, SC, his two granddaughters, Grayson Jo and Reese Lucille Watkins. In addition, he is survived, by sisters Gail Ford (John) of Columbia, SC, Cassandra Bradham (Larry) of Seabrook Island, SC, and Nancy Nelson of North Charleston, SC, in addition to many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Charleston Southern University or the Citadel.

A visitation at carolina memorial funeral home for Lee will be held Tuesday, January 31, 2023 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, 7113 Rivers Ave, North Charleston, SC 29406, followed by a a celebration of life visitation at carolina memorial funeral home chapel from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.carolinamemorial.com for the Watkins family.