Barbara Watkins

"Never Regret A Day In Your Life: Good Days Give Happiness, Sad Days Gives Experiences, Worse Days Give Lessons, And Best Days Give Memories." This quote best describes Barbara A. Watkins life. Barbara A. Watkins was born on December 2nd 1932 to Anne Bernice Young and Sanford Woolfolk in Cleveland, Ohio. At an early age she had been diagnosed with a learning disorder but as she got older, Barbara possessed the ability to achieve a way of understanding, learning, perceiving and conquering different facets of life that most "book learned" people never accomplished. She always believed that common sense is instinct and enough of it is genius. Even though things did not always go her way she had a very colorful and exciting life of which she reminisced about it always until her last days. She was married once to Rufus Watkins, a Seaman in the United States Navy but never had children. Later in life she worked for the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene formerly known as Willowbrook State School in Staten Island, New York as a Nursing Assistant for 27 years and in those years, she developed a compassion for helping and assisting patients who were in dire need of medical and mental assistance. She always gave 100% of herself to help her patients which later in life brought her blessings when it was time for her to be cared for by people who loved her. Barbara was the first cousin to the celebrated tap dance team The Edwards Sisters, who performed with the Tommy Dorsey Band, Duke Ellington and Count Basie Band. Barbara was always ecstatic to see them perform on stage. She always spoke of them proudly and always talked about and relived those precious days of her life. Barbara had strength and courage, and with her comedic personality, she had the ability to make anyone laugh, even though she was in constant pain. Whether it was doctors, nurses, aides, friends, and family members it was an amazing experience to be in her presence. What can you say about a person who lived an extraordinary life regardless of its ups and downs? Barbara triumphed through it all. She is one person who walked this earth that should have written a book about her life. Barbara also had a way of speaking with her eyes and expressing what she was feeling, she did not have to speak, her eyes said it all. When I would sit with her while watching her favorite television shows, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and Perry Mason, I asked her one night what she was thinking while she was gazing at her mother's picture? She adored her mother and in simple words she was saying “while the outer self may waste away the inner self is renewed daily and this prepares people for an eternal weight of glory.” She could be very deep sometimes. Towards the end when she would say to me "I'm ready to go", I would say "no way the angels are not ready for you yet, the spotlight on the stage has not been set up yet". On Sunday, May 26 2024 the show began and she is in her deserved spotlight and for eternity. She will always make people laugh and smile. Love You More Barbie Doll You Go Miss Barbara Preceded in death by parents Anne B. Young and Sanford Woolfolk, sisters Delores Woolfolk and brother Charles Hemmingway, Cousin Norma Fleming. She leaves behind nieces Starlyn Wins, Chadin Rankin, Penelope Crenshaw, Karima Delarosse, cousins Denise Edwards, Thais Phelts, grandnieces and grandnephews and her dear friend for over fifty years Margaret Leak Miss B of Bedford Avenue (also known as the Mayor of Bedford Avenue). I cannot begin to name the numerous friends and neighbors who loved and adored her and continued to reach out to her over the years until the week before she went on to be with our Lord. May blessings and appreciation go out to all of you for your love, kindness and support.

Barbara Watkins

December 2, 1932 - May 26, 2024