Edwenia Montgomery Watkins is the daughter of Harold and Alice Humphrey Montgomery, born on November 13th, 1923, in the rural community of Tatum, Rusk County, Texas. Her father, Harold Montgomery, was a farm producer, and her mother, Alice Humphrey Montgomery, was a housewife.
Edwenia worked on the farm and attended school and church in the Tatum Harmony Hill community, graduating from high school in 1941. She then moved to Marshall, Texas, and resided with her aunt Johnnie Humphrey Richardson while enrolled at Bishop College, majoring in secretarial science.
In 1943, as a secretarial science student during the WW-11 era, Edwenia was recruited by the U.S. government as a Federal Civil Service Typist and accepted a transfer from Marshall, Texas, to Washington, D.C., in support of the World War-11 efforts.
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She continued her secretarial career, and on June 3, 1951, Edwenia married her Bishop College school
mate, Mr. Forman D. Watkins from Ennis, Texas, a WW-11 veteran. After his service career, Mr. Watkins also became a U.S. government employee.
With her husband’s full support before his passing on December 15th, 2014, Edwenia built an impressive career. She completed her college education at Howard University, where she earned a degree in Education in 1956, and taught in Washington, D.C., public schools until her retirement on November 14, 1992. She became a life member of The National Council of Negro Women, Inc, a lifetime member of
the NAACP, A volunteer at the White House for more than twenty•years, a Deaconess Emeritus at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and a World War-11 Honoree in August 2026.
Family and friends will celebrate the Edwenia World War-11 Honor on September 2nd, 2026 (VJ-DAY). Her sister, Glover Glow Montgomery Brown; her brother, Billy Don Montgomery; and many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends are thrilled with GOD’S BLESSINGS.
ON NOVEMBER 13, 2026, EDWENIA MONTGOMERY WATKINS WILL BE 103 YEARS OLD AND STILL RESIDE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
Presented by:
Billy Don Montgomery
