Ernest Lee Watkins

Ernest Watkins

Ernest Lee Watkins, 83, of Newport, Ore., died of congestive heart failure following a long illness on April 24, 2012 at his home.

He was born March 8, 1929 to Myrle (Clark) and Ernest Watkins in Otterbein, Ind. In 1947, he graduated from Mulberry High School in Mulberry, Ind. Lee was senior class president of his high school.

He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in October 1948 and served as a senior aircraft and engine mechanic in the 3908th Strategic Evaluation Squadron during the Korean Conflict.

He met Ruth Porter while stationed at Castle AFB, Calif. They were married in May 1951 in Lafayette, Ind. While stationed in England at Mildenhall RAFB, he formed a band and even cut a record. He finished his military service as a staff sergeant at McDill AFB in Florida.

The family lived for a time in Lafayette, Ind. and moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho in 1967. As empty nesters, Lee and Ruth moved to Bonners Ferry, Idaho before finally moving to Newport in 1988.

Lee was the first park manager of Longview Hills residential community, being hired in 1989. He later started his own handy-man service for the residents. He was a “jack of all trades and master of many” offering invaluable help and advice until his death.

He was an avid fisherman and loved boating. Lee could be found in his shop at all hours thinking up and re-inventing ways to make things run and work more efficiently. When he wasn’t in his shop, he could be heard playing his tenor saxophone or clarinet at many functions. He was well known for his musical prowess.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Myrle Watkins.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth Viola Porter Watkins, of Newport; children, LeAnn Blumenstein of Newport, Pamela (Tom) Howland of Towanda, Kan., Gordon (Penny) Watkins of Spokane and Craig (Hongyan) Watkins of Hillsboro; sisters, Myrle Louise Ewing and Josephine Moffat, both of Edgewater, Fla. and Jean Richey of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.; 10 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial will be at 11 a.m. Sunday, May 27, at the Longview Hills Community Center, 450 NE 58th St. in Newport, with funeral detail and military honors by American Legion Post 116 in Newport. Entombment will take place at a later date at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, with funeral detail and full military honors by the American Veteran Honor Guard from Vancouver, Wash. Memorial donations may be made to the Oregon Veteran’s Home in The Dalles.

Affordable Burial and Cremation is handling arrangements.



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