Charles M. Watkins
OBITUARY
Charles M. Watkins, 85, formerly of Perry Township, Berks County, peacefully
passed away on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at The Manor at Market Square,
Reading, where he resided.
Charles is survived by his children: Joel Watkins Shaffer, wife of Curtis Shaffer,
Bend, Oregon; John Clair Watkins, husband of Heather Watkins, Fleetwood; and
Brian Andrew Watkins, husband of Lisl Shoda, Menlo Park, California; and four
grandchildren: Alex, Evan, Kadence and Devan. He is also survived by his
siblings: Mark Wilmot, Lee R. Wilmot, Dwight A. Wilmot, David Wilmot; and Alice
E. Wilmot Squires. Charles was predeceased by his siblings: James C. Watkins
and Dorothea C. Watkins Marcy.
Chuck was born May 16, 1940, to John Clair Watkins and Lawrene (Schuler)
Watkins Wilmot on the South slope of the South peak of Elk Mountain, as the
second oldest of three Children: Older brother Jim and younger sister, Dorothea.
His Father died in August, 1942 from tuberculosis at the age of thirty-two.
His Mother remarried in 1946 to Ralph O. Wilmot, which resulted in the family
expanding to include four other brothers, Mark, Lee, Dwight, and David, and a
sister, Alice.
Chuck�s formal schooling began in the one-room school house in Elkdale, and
continued from first grade through the first half of fifth grade. The second half of
fifth grade through eighth grade was at the then new school in Clifford.
He attended Harford High School (Now part of Mountain View High School) from
1954 – 58. He played basketball under Coach Julius Prezelski and enjoyed
playing on a team that beat both Montrose and Elk Lake in the same year (may
still be a record). He was a member of the track team and competed in the high
jump, 440, and mile relay team. Chuck was active in FFA: Engaged in judging
contests; showing cattle; and competing with the parliamentary procedure team.
In his senior year he was FFA President and Senior Class President.
After high school, Chuck joined the U.S. Marine Corps, for a three-year
enlistment. This involved boot camp at Paris Island, infantry training at Camp
LeJune, and ending up at the Marine Base in Twenty-Nine Palms, California. He
was assigned to an anit-aircraft artillery unit and studied radio communications.
His first Marine duty assignment in communications was with the First Air and
Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) on Oahu, Hawaii. The nations of the
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) at that time had land troops but no
naval forces or air power. ANGLICO members were assigned to SEATO military
groups to be the communications link between the SEATO�s need for naval
gunfire or air power to support their land troops. A special duty assignment
resulted in Chuck being on the 38″ parallel, in Korea, with South Korean troops,
at a time when the Korean War armistice expired and attack was expected from
the North. On another special duty assignment he spent two weeks on a
Nationalist Chinese ship, patrolling the Formosa Strait at a time when there was
fear that the Communist Chinese were going to launch an attack against the
Nationalist Chinese. Between special duty assignments, while on Oahu, Chuck
played basketball and football (offensive and defensive end) for ANGLICO
teams. It was on Oahu that he first learned to play tennis. Chuck ended Marine
Corps duty as a Corporal E-4.
Chuck obtained a bachelors and masters degree in philosophy at Penn State and
was hired as an Instructor in Philosophy by the Altoona Campus of Penn State in
1964, and taught there for nine years. He then accepted a teaching position at
Kutztown University and taught there for twenty-five years, retiring as Professor
Emeritus in Philosophy, in 1995.
While at the Altoona Campus,Chuck met his former spouse Arleen Joyce Bickel,
an assistant professor of mathematics. Three children resulted from their
marriage. Chuck�s later former spouse was Christine Vaccaro who worked for
the County of Berks as an adoption employee.
While at Kutztown University, Chuck coached tennis for ten years and
inaugurated a Southern tour during the annual spring break. Many of the players
who went on these Southern tours say that it was the highlight of their college
careers and they still hold an annual reunion. During this time he also opened a
Tennis shop called �Tiebreaker�.
Chuck�s interest in law began in High School but was only able to be acted upon
in 1984 when he had a full-year sabbatical from his teaching position. He began
attending law school at the University of Idaho. It took him six years to complete
law school because, at the time, he was a single parent with three children in
college. Completing his law degree included commuting to Dickinson during the
college year, while also teaching full time, and studying law for three summers at
the University of Utah. In March, 1986, Chuck began doing research and writing
for Paul R. Ober & Associates, a law firm in Reading, Pennsylvania. In
December, 1990, he became a member of the Bar in Berks County,
Pennsylvania and became a partner in the law firm of Paul R. Ober & Associates.
Chuck has since practiced in at least ten counties in Pennsylvania, including
Susquehanna, Wayne, Bradford, Tioga and Wyoming, and was a member of the
bar of the Eastern and Middle Federal District Courts, the Third Circuit Court of
Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Chuck was proud to have won
cases before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
For eight years, 1992 to 2000, Chuck was on the Board of Directors of Planned
Parenthood of North East Pennsylvania (PPNEP) and was President of the
Board the last two of those years.
Chuck was an avid athlete and hobbyist. His passions included horticulture,
hunting, archery, woodworking, tennis, racketball, football, reading, beekeeping,
and traveling.
Treat others as you wish to be treated, not as they treat you.
Chuck has always been a teacher and encouraged people to reach for their
dreams, as was evident in his high school Commencement Address: Don’t sell
yourself short by making decisions which limit your potential and your
opportunities. Don’t assume that you are unable to do something or that others
are inherently more qualified or smarter than you are. Trust that your brain is
capable of accurate analysis and that it can guide you to worthwhile conclusions.
But don’t be so pompous and arrogant that you are incapable of making
corrections to your analysis when presented with the relevant evidence. Aim
high: Don’t dream of being vice president.
A celebration of Charles’ life will be held at a later date. Leibensperger Funeral
Homes, Inc., Leesport is in charge of arrangements. For online condolences,
please visit, www.leibenspergerfuneralhomes.com.