Marjorie Watkins, 97, passed away on December 12, 2025, at her home in Brentwood, Tennessee. A graveside burial service will be held at Arthur Cemetery.

Born November 30, 1928, in rural Melvin, Illinois, she was the youngest of three children of Louis and Bethel Peters. She earned a B.S. degree from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1950 and a master’s degree from Eastern Illinois University in 1980.

Marjorie married Robert (Bob) Watkins in Melvin, IL, in 1953. Bob predeceased Marjorie in 2013.

Marjorie taught dental assisting and dental hygiene at Lake Land College in Mattoon, Illinois, for 26 years and served as Director of the Dental Hygiene Department from the mid-1980s until her retirement in 1990.

She enjoyed cheering on the University of Illinois football and basketball teams and loved playing golf. In retirement, she and her husband, Bob, spent winters in Florida and summers in Arthur, Illinois, where she was a devoted member of Arthur United Methodist Church and an active participant in the church’s “Crafty Crafters” ministry.

Marjorie moved to Brentwood in 2016 to be near family. She is survived by her son, Rob; daughter-in-law, Michelle; and adult grandchildren, Brandon and Brittney Watkins.

Memorials may be made to the Arthur United Methodist Church.