Miss Darlene Rene' Watkins transitioned peacefully on Monday, May 16, 2022 at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina.  Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. at Love and Faith Christian Fellowship Church, 4344 Blackberry Road, Greensboro, NC with family visitation one half hour prior to the service.  Public visitation will be held on Monday, May 23, 2022 at McLaurin Memorial Chapel from 2:30 until 7:30 p.m. with burial to be conducted from the Grooms Missionary Baptist Church in Reidsville, NC.

Darlene was born on January 3, 1957 in Reidsville, North Carolina to the late Robert D. Watkins and the late Thelma Badgett Watkins. At an early age, Darlene professed her faith to Christ at the Grooms Missionary Baptist Church in Reidsville, NC and later joined the Love and Faith Christian Fellowship Church in Greensboro, where she served faithfully until her health no longer allowed.  There, she was active in the Greeters ministry and was Deaconess Emeritus.

Educated in the Rockingham County Public Schools, Darlene graduated from Reidsville Senior High School in 1975 and later matriculated at North Carolina A. & T. State University and Barbizon Modeling School, both in Greensboro, NC.   Darlene was previously employed at Rockingham County Schools as a Teacher's Aide and bus monitor and was employed most recently at Hallmark Cards Company.

Darlene had a passion for dressing fashionably, without spending a fortune. And, she was the best at "making old things new again", whether it was clothing, furniture, household décor, etc.!

In addition to her father and mother, Darlene is predeceased by three brothers, Robert LeGrand, Norman Watkins and Rev. Dr. Ralph Watkins.

Those left to cherish precious memories are:  sisters, Hilda Watkins Brown (James) and Tilda Watkins-Morehead, all of Reidsville, NC; brother, Melvin L. Watkins (Burrell) of Durham, NC; sisters-in-law, Theresa Watkins and Jacqueline Watkins, both of Reidsville, NC; special friends, Bertha Coffin, Kalani Bennett, Charlene Webb and Tierra Graves; nieces; nephews; cousins; other relatives and dear friends.

Ashton and Yolanda McLaurin and the staff of the McLaurin Funeral Home are serving the family. C ovid-19 precautions will be followed with social distancing, masks and sanitizing required.

At the designated date and time, you may connect to the Virtual services through FaceBook livestreaming via McLaurin Funeral Home's FB page.

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