Infancy: Hular Baker Watkins

A Mature Perspective

Infancy:

My grandmother, Barbara Ann Watkins Purcell was born on July 19th 1944, in Gillsville, Georgia. Barbara was and only child and her parents, my great grandparents were Hular Baker Watkins and Henry Charles Watkins. Hular Baker Watkins was born in Rabun county Georgia in 1908. Barbara described her mother as a sweet caring person who was always willing to do whatever needed to be done, especially others in need. She also stated though, that as her mother grew older she became more withdrawn and had a less bubbly and talkative personality than the personality that Barbara recalled her mother having when she was younger. Henry Charles Watkins was born in Lula Georgia in 1905. Barbara described her father as being

Doing math was oddly enough her favourite part of school and writing and grammar was her least favourite part about school.

Living in rural Georgia, Barbara’s family never had an actual pet but there were several stray animals that would hang around their home that she would like to claim as her own every so often. As a child Barbara claims to have been a laid back teddy bear loving girly girl, who rarely got in trouble for anything. She said that her mother’s homemade biscuits with honey or apple butter was one of her favourite foods to eat. Her type of fun consisted of playing with her teddy bear that she had gotten at a young age for Christmas and getting into her mothers “grown up” makeup and cloths and playing dress up. Her teddy bear was her favourite toy. Growing up Barbara had the responsibilities of washing the dishes after meals, and generally helping her mother keep up house.

One person she considered a role model growing up was her grandmother Genela Frances Coffee Baker for her complete faithfulness to her husband through all the struggles he had put her through and her devoutness to the Lord for always making it a priority to share Jesus with just about everyone she came in contact with.

Barbara said her advice to a class of college students would be to study as hard as possible and learn all you can so you can get a good job later in life so then you wont have as many things to worry about like money, and being let go from a job over your lack of knowledge.

Personal Reflections: Personally interviewing Barbara, my grandmother and getting details on her life has given me a feel of how it will be to grow older and watch the world change. Her view of life and how she handled her marriages and raised her children has put a goal in my head of how I want to be a devoted wife and caring mother to my husband and children in the future. Also how she is so devoted to church and just craving each day to be more and more like Christ and working to do so is such an inspiration to