William Watkins

WILLIAM MACK WATKINS

May 30, 1936 – June 5, 2014

KAYSVILLE – William Mack Watkins died peacefully, Thursday, June 5, 2014 at home surrounded by his family after a long fight with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). He was a wonderful husband, father, brother, grandfather, and friend.

Mack was born May 30, 1936 in Tremonton, UT to Clifford Charles and Lois Oswald Watkins. He took pride in his northern Utah roots and often told people he was “just a poor peach picker from Brigham City.” Mack graduated from Box Elder High School, where he was a state champion golfer, a skill he honed his entire life.

As a young man, he was called to serve as a proselyting missionary for the LDS Church in the Swiss-Austrian Mission from 1956-59. There he made lifelong friends among the Austrian people and the missionaries with whom he served. It taught his children the importance of continued relationships.

Mack returned and received a B.A. degree in history from the University of Utah and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. It was there he met Julia Simmons. The two were married in the Salt Lake LDS Temple on June 25, 1964. Mack would joke his toughest “sell” was getting Julie to marry him. They loved each other completely for nearly 50 years of marriage, and set a standard for their nine children to emulate.

Mack had a passion for music and fine arts. In 1959, his influential aunt Clara W. McMaster encouraged him to develop a confident bass voice. He sang for 10 years in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir under famed conductor Richard P. Condie. His musical talents included the trumpet, guitar, and one could always hear his voice from the church pews on Sundays. He was a longtime season ticket holder to the Utah Symphony, The Pioneer Theater Company, and served as president of the Utah Opera Company.

Mack began a career in finance as a stockbroker for Merrill Lynch in 1966. He later worked for Kidder Peabody in the Salt Lake City office as the managing partner. This eventually led to the formation of his financial services business, WMW Management Inc.

His proudest achievements came as a father of nine children. He championed their accomplishments large or small. His hobbies centered around his children from hauling harps to feeding horses. He took respite on his John Deere tractor plowing roads and mowing fields. The golf course was a place of enjoyment earning him multiple Oakridge Country Club championships.

Mack was devoted to the LDS church and served in several capacities including counselor in the Kaysville 12 ^th Ward Bishopric and counselor in the Crestwood Stake Presidency. From 1998-2001 he served with his wife as president of the Czech-Prague mission, responsible for approximately 150 missionaries and church members in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Mack joked about the challenge of learning the Czech language at a later age, but was never shy to greet everyone he knew with a confident, “dobry´ den” (good day) many years after he returned.

Mack loved and genuinely trusted people and maintained a truly altruistic approach to all forms of philanthropy, never expecting anything in return. It was common for a server to return to the table after a paid bill, wondering if there was a mistake from the overly generous tip. He loved to make people happy regardless of their station in life, and was masterful at connecting people. Mack lived by a simple mantra to always, “keep up the good work” and left a remarkable legacy.

Preceded in death by his parents and daughter, Alexandra Adams Watkins along with half-sisters Barbara W. Faulkner, Beth W. Brian, and Anna W. Owens. Survived by his wife, Julie, children; Katie (Ned) Stringham, Christopher (Heather) Watkins, Sarah (Michael) Scheuller, Joshua (Allison) Watkins, Elizabeth (Glen) Gerner, Peter (Adrianne) Watkins, Maria (Kent) Phippen, Hannah (Toby) Collett. 28 grandchildren. Brother Clifford (Alice) Watkins and sister Lucile W. Kerr.

Funeral services will be held Friday, June 13 ^th , at 11:00 a.m. at the Crestwood LDS Chapel, 1039 E. Crestwood Road, Kaysville, Utah. Friends may visit family on Thursday, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist's Kaysville Mortuary, 400 North Main Street, Kaysville and Friday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment, Kaysville City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions to the LDS Church Perpetual Education Fund. The family expresses appreciation to the extraordinary and caring nurses from Homewatch CareGivers and Caregiver Support Network.