Carl Walter Louis Watkins
Carl Walter Louis Watkins, 92, passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, May 1, 2021. He was a resident of League City, Texas and formally a resident of Dickinson, Texas and Newport News, Virginia. Carl served in the U.S. Army in the Pacific Theater at the end of WWII. After being honorably discharged from the Army, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Carl’s career with the space program began in 1955 at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia and would span over the next 36 years that included him moving to Houston, Texas in the early 1960’s with the inception of the Johnson Space Center. During his career with NASA, Carl worked as an Aerospace Engineer on several programs including the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. He particularly enjoyed studying lunar mobility and later in his career served as Operations Project Manager for the SAIL Operations Office, Shuttle Avionics Integration Division. After retiring from NASA in 1990, Carl worked for Northrop Grumman until 1994. Throughout his life he had a passion for nature and the outdoors that included hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing, and birding. He loved to play tennis and spent many years on the tennis court with friends at Bay Area Racquet Club. In later years, Carl’s dream of owning a sailboat came true, and he enjoyed sailing Galveston Bay and was a crew member in several blue water sailing trips. When not on the tennis court or on the water, Carl was an avid reader and history buff.
Carl’s kindness toward others, positivity, contagious smile, and sense of humor made him a person everyone loved and cherished. Everyone he met was instantly “family.” He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Carl is preceded in death by Julia R. Watkins, his loving wife of 52 years, his parents Austin F. Watkins, Sr. and Phyllis M. Edwards, his brothers Austin F. Watkins, Jr. and Norvell E. Watkins, and sister Jean W. Thomas. He is survived by his brother Allen H. Watkins and wife Kathy of Ashville North Carolina; his children Austin F. Watkins III of Santa Fe, Texas, daughter Laura E. Bowers and husband, Mark of Taylor, Texas, and daughter Jennifer L. Watkins of Dickinson, Texas and many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. A service will be held at a later date.
Carl was my second dad. He and my father, Roy Magin were best friends since I can remember. He was the kindest most loving man. I hav such fond memories of him throughout my childhood as he and Julie only lived a few houses away from us. His laugh was contagious. He will be missed by all who loved him. While playing tennis, I am sure that he, Julie, and my mom and dad are watching from above! I love you Carl Watkins.
I loved this man! He was my “name buddy” and I will always remember him that way! No one was a stranger to him, they were instant family! I will miss him so much but am so thankful that his children and his Virginia family are closer than ever!!
Laura, Jenny and Austin,
I’m so sorry to hear of your dad’s passing. Our parents were such good friends of your parents (and the Magins as posted above!) when we lived in Dickinson. I have such fond memories of the four guys meeting at our house for a Saturday beer after tennis doubles, gourmet dinner club, bridge groups, your dad and mom being so sweet to me as a little girl, and how much they each loved you all.
Elizabeth Piland Albright
We are very sad to hear this news! Please know that Carl will always be in our hearts and in our memories! We truly cherish the opportunity we had to get to know him and spend time with him both on and off the tennis court at Bay Area Racquet Club! Please know that Carl was truly loved and appreciated by so many and my family and I send to you all, our sincerest condolences! I will always remember Carl staying upbeat at all times, bringing his tremendous determination and perseverance in the face of all challenges! Carl’s jovial sense of humor and laugh will always be ringing through the clubhouse! Thank you for all the Memories!
– Striesfeld Family (Bay Area Racquet Club Owners)
Blessed are we who love him and his sharing with us of his most generous spirit. We worked together in the Space Task Group at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, where Julie was also busy keeping the front office organized. When that small group was transferred to Houston, previously named “Manned Spacecraft Center”, now “Johnson Space Center” I ended up initially at North American Space and Information Systems Division for a few years, then Grumman Airplane Company (original name) at Bethpage, New York for a few more years in the NASA Apollo Resident Offices before landing in Houston. Although far apart geographically, we remained together as “best friends” throughout the years. Lexus and I were always so happy to be included in Laura’s most thoughtful expression of a daughter’s love by her fun celebrations of his last few birthdays. In a spiritual way, Carl will remain my best friend, whose nature was always thoughtful and caring in every way, no matter the circumstances. We all have good memories of Carl and no doubt can recall an experience with him that could be relatable to a current issue when one has a friend who is valued for his understanding and remarkable ability to hear, not just listen and never judgmentally, inserting humor or empathy to whatever circumstance life brings. Carl was so special. God Bless Him and his wonderful family.
Jack Small
Please let me know what to do with your requested ‘moderation.”
Carl always had a smile on his face, he enjoyed life.
Carl was a nice man and what I like the most was his vocabulary. The way he pronounced words, then I had to look them up to see what they mean. I was always learning from Carl. I was his secretary when he was in EZ. He was a very interesting man who really enjoyed life and people.