Obit of Watkins, Nathena Tate - Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Gene Phillips 11 Feb 2005 Return to Oklahoma County Archives: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/oklahoma/oklahoma.html ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm ========================================================================== Watkins, Nathena Tate Nathena Tate Watkins August 22, 1928 January 6, 2003 Nathena Marie Tate was born in Oklahoma City to Nathan and Bonnie Tate on August 22, 1928. She grew up in Oklahoma City, attended Taft High School and majored in Art at Oklahoma State University. When she was 13 she moved to Ireland, Texas where her father was a rancher, Justice of the Peace, and Airplane Instructor. She met Dudley Watkins there and they were married June 1, 1950. Dudley was an Architect and Tina continued to paint and sculpt, and exhibited and sold many works of art. In the 1960's she and Dudley took in several students from Mexico and Argentina to learn English. Dudley began working on projects in Mexico and her lifelong love of international work was born. Dudley returned to Texas A&M to get his Master's degree and become Director of the Graduate School of Architecture's Building Design option. He was voted most popular professor his third year. After Dudley's untimely early death in 1976, Tina returned to the University of Texas and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art. Upon returning to College Station she worked as Director of the Arts Council District, which included 9 central Texas Counties. When the position of Foreign Student Advisor came up she marched in and demanded the job, rising to Director of International Student Services where she worked for over 16 years. She worked with international students from all over the world. Usually over 100 countries are represented in any given year. In 1979 she started International Week at Texas A&M. International Week's goal is to bring the many nationalities and cultures together as one group with common interests. Her hope was to bring about healing of long standing differences between the nationalities and upon the return to their individual countries, for the students to have acquired a better understanding and deeper appreciation of their neighbors and the US. She strived hard to help these new foreign students find friends within their own expatriate communities, but also with other foreign students and Americans. She saw the need to set up programs to help this integration process. International, Student Week at Texas A&M is the most successful program of its kind in the United States. She assisted many with their transitions to our culture, often picking up people at the airport in the middle of the night, taking them to her home, and making them feel welcome. One of her first International Student Body Presidents was Riyadh Chakmachi from Iraq, who earned his PhD. in Architecture. Other International Student Body Presidents include Dr Gabriel Caranza, now Director of Texas A&M's Latin Studies. With Tina's love and guidance they established a network of International Aggies and Alumni that continues today. Each country group set up their own program to present their foods, art, dance, in a fabulous display of international pride and integration. Many students from warring countries became good friends spreading understanding, dialog and peace. There was a documentary film made about international week and although other schools have tried, they haven't matched Texas A&M's success. Suzanne Droleskey was her prote'ge' and remained good friends after she took over the position upon Tina's retirement. Tina was very proud to have worked with all her students and friends at Texas A&M. She was awarded the distinguished service award at Texas A&M. After her retirement at the request of the University she traveled to China, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, San Salvador, setting in motion continuing Aggie Clubs. She also helped with the Art Docent Programs, and Literacy volunteer programs. She is survived by two sons; Steve Watkins, wife Nancy, and granddaughter Lia Watkins; Gregory Watkins, wife Merrilee, and grandsons, Zachary and Nathan Watkins. She is also survived by her brother Don Tate, wife Karen and nephews Nathan, Eric and Terry and by many aunts, cousins, and foreigners that consider her their second mom. She will be very missed. A memorial service will be held at the All Faith's Chapel on Texas A&M campus at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, January 9, 2003. Burial services will be held in Oklahoma City at Memorial Park on Friday, January 10, 2003 at 2:00 p.m. Contributions to the Tina Watkins Scholarship fund can be made through: international.tamu.edu Texas A&M Foundation, Tina Watkins Scholarship Fund, Texas A&M, 1234 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-1234. Published in the Oklahoman on 1/8/2003. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Oklahoma County Archives: http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ok/oklahoma/oklahoma.html