Watkins, Margaret Ann 93(1/2) of Vero Beach, FL and formerly Weston/Wellesley, MA died peacefully surrounded by her loving family in Vero Beach on January 12th, 2021.

Ann was born in Philadelphia, PA on July 6th, 1927. Ann spent her youth in several states including NY, NC, TN, GA etc. as her father moved multiple times for work as a chemical engineer managing gas companies.

Ann was living in Queens, NY when she was accepted to Middlebury College in Vermont in 1945. After graduating from Middlebury in 1949 she moved to Colorado Springs from 1949-1951 to teach French, Typing and Shorthand.

Following the lead of a dear college friend, Ann moved back East, settling in Cambridge, MA in 1952 where she continued to work. It was there she met the love of her life, Paul Watkins. Their first date was enjoying a Boston Red Sox game at Fenway Park. They married in 1954. Together they raised three children in Weston, MA before moving to Wellesley, MA and then retiring to Vero Beach, FL splitting their time between MA and FL.

Ann was very active with the Congregational Church of Weston, volunteered at several high school libraries where her children were students, played Bridge with friends and traveled extensively with family including frequent trips to Cape Cod on the weekends as her children grew up. Ann was a regular attendee at all her children's sporting events with Paul over the years.

Ann was elegant, beautiful, witty, very smart and was a voracious reader who volunteered during her retirement years at a local bookstore in Vero Beach, FL. As a housewife and mother for many years, she created a structured, but loving environment prioritizing consistent nightly meals together, ever strengthening the family bond.

Sadly, Paul passed away surrounded by his loving family in September of 2016. She showed incredible strength and grace taking over as caregiver until that time. Afterward, she assumed the leadership role, taking special care to preserve the family traditions.

Those left to cherish Ann's memory include her children Richard Watkins (wife Lauren and granddaughters Paige, Summer and Brooke) of Windemere, FL, Jan Kelly (granddaughters Kaitlyn and Jacqueline) of Marietta, GA and William "Billy Ray" Watkins of Raleigh, NC.

A memorial service and reception will be held at Mount Auburn Cemetery (Bigelow Chapel) in Cambridge, MA on Friday, August 13, 2021 at 12pm (noon) with family and friends. A private burial for family will be held following the reception.

Donations in Ann's memory may be made Friends of Mt Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138. Arrangements are under the direction of Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory, Vero Beach. Online condolences may be sent to www.coxgiffordseawinds.com.