Claude O. WATKINS, DC

WATKINS, HUNT

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 4/26/2008 at 10:23:37

[son of Lewis A. Watkins and Myrtle May Sutfin Watkins]

The Sidney Herald, Sidney, MT
November 2, 1977

Dr. Claude O. Watkins

Memorial services were conducted Monday morning for Dr. Claude O. Watkins, 75, at Peoples Congregational Church. He died Thursday night at Community Memorial Hospital after a long illness. Dr. Watkins had practiced as a chiropractic physician in Sidney for 51 years, opening his practice here Jan. 2, 1926, after graduation from Palmer School of Chiropractic, Davenport, IA, in 1925. He retired from practice in April of this year. Active in his profession at both the state and national levels, he served on the Montana Chiropractic Association board of directors, was its secretary-treasurer for 13 years and was president for two terms, the only president to serve more than one year in the association’s history. He served for six years in the House of Counselors of the National Chiropractic Association, for five years on the NCA’s executive board, and as chairman of the NCA’s Committee on Clinical Research. Dr. Watkins’ civic activities included chairmanship of the Junior Park Board, which was responsible for obtaining and planting many of Sidney’s trees in the 1930s. In addition to memberships in the Loyal Order of Moose and Protective Order of Elks lodges, he had served as master of Lower Yellowstone Lodge No. 90 AF&AM, as patron of Richland Chapter No 62, Order of the Eastern Star, as president of the Sidney Kiwanis Club and as chairman of the Sidney low-cost housing project from its inception.

Dr. Watkins was born Sept. 9, 1902 at Eagle Grove, IA and was reared on a ranch near Dickinson, ND. He was married to Helen G. Hunt Dec. 23, 1927, at Glendive. Rev. Peter Hayn conducted the service, at which Betty Cumming sang “The Lord’s Prayer” and the “Twenty-third Psalm,” and Beverly Peterson and Marian Herron played a piano-organ duet, “Fairest Lord Jesus.” The service opened with the singing of a hymn, “He Leadeth Me.” Ushers were Milton Anderson, Lionel Gall and Louis Lee. Survivors included the widow, two sons—Robert, Mercer Island, WA, and John, Munds Park, AZ, five grandsons and two granddaughters. Fulkerson Funeral Home had charge of arrangements for the services and cremation.