Doris Watkins

HOLDEN – Doris Watkins, 96, passed away April 15, 2013, in her daughter’s home in Holden, surrounded by family.
In her youth, Doris loved dancing, riding horses, deep sea fishing, making and wearing pretty clothes, and she talked her boyfriend into teaching her to fly an airplane. But she settled down eventually and married prominent psychologist, Dr. John G. Watkins. They had four children. She often said, in addition to her children, there were two good reasons to marry a psychologist and college professor; one was her introduction to books and scholarship, because Doris became an avid lifelong reader of non-fiction, and second was her introduction to the simple idea that how parents treat their children is crucially important in determining their development and success in life. Doris was a contented stay-at-home mother and homemaker. She took great pride in caring for family, providing healthy home cooked meals, canning and preserving homegrown foods and thoughtful conversation at dinner. She inspired her children’s curiosity with good books, carefully chosen toys and activities, and she often made their clothes. Doris was an accomplished seamstress. Although Doris never had the opportunity for a college education, she was always teaching herself new subjects. Among her many political interests, she had a deep concern for the welfare of little children, and she didn’t just talk about her concerns – she took action. In her 80s she wrote a pamphlet for young mothers, entitled, “Grandma Dorie’s Tips for Raising Your Baby Up, Not Down.” It was written for young mothers, reminding them of the importance of the mother/child bond in those early years, encouraging young mothers to care and be proud of themselves. Although she respected women’s liberation, she was worried about how the movement would impact the lives of children and she didn’t appreciate modern feminists who depicted homemaking as mindless drudgery. When she noticed that her children were bored with the public school curriculum, she organized parents, calling themselves “Citizens for Better Schools.” They read and studied educational research, and brought this research with recommendations to the attention of the school board. When she was concerned about air pollution from a local wood pulp factory and the elevated cancer rates in town, she worked with a group of women who demanded that the company put scrubbers on the smokestacks. When she wanted to expand her interests, she joined League of Women Voters, working on a league project, studying foreign aide and making recommendations to politicians. When she was fearful of nuclear proliferation in the l960s, she supported a nuclear test ban treaty. She joined “Beyond War” in the l980s when she grew worried about saber rattling talk from our president. Throughout the years she contributed to many organizations working to reduce population growth and protect the environment. She often criticized our government, but she loved America and was proud of her country. Harry Truman was her favorite president. Doris also loved bird watching. She shared this love with her grandchildren, and she taught herself watercolor painting of wildlife. In a retirement home in her 90s, Doris started a newsletter with biographies of new members to help people get to know each other. When she noticed the meals were too salty for people with heart problems, she met with representatives from corporate headquarters to stress the importance of healthy, locally grown food, supporting Maine’s young farmers. She was also a devout atheist, but she raised her children to think for themselves, and they didn’t always agree with her. Much to her surprise, one accepted Christianity. At the end of her life, Doris’ greatest concern was for future generations of Americans, our shocking loss of good jobs and the corruption of our political system. Her greatest satisfaction was knowing that her children had stable marriages, her grandchildren were prospering, and she had led a purposeful life.
Those who loved her will never forget the inspiration, the joy of living and the affection she gave her family. We would like to thank New Hope Hospice for their outstanding care in her final days, helping our family manage this painful and difficult time with dignity and kindness to each other. Doris donated her body to the University of New England School of Osteopathic Medicine.