mary lee watkins mcgilberry
1917-2010
Life Story
Early Life & Family Roots in Mississippi
Mary Lee Watkins was born on October 9, 1917, in the Garlandville community of eastern Mississippi, to John (“Candy John”) Watkins and Angeline (“Angie”) Lay Watkins. Although born near Garlandville, she was raised in neighboring Newton County, where the Watkins family had deep roots in the Lawrence and Newton communities.
Mary grew up in a large household alongside her siblings Clara, Estella, Spencer, Ruth (Jarutha), Willie, H. David, and Rosie Lee. Their parents were well known throughout the community—not only as farmers but also for the homemade candy that earned her father the affectionate nickname “Candy John.”
Growing up in rural Mississippi during the Jim Crow era taught Mary the values of hard work, family responsibility, and neighborly generosity that would define the rest of her life.
By 1920, Mary was living with her parents in Beat 4 of Newton County, where her father supported the family through farming. As she grew older, she attended the local public schools while helping with the daily work of the family farm. Census records show that by 1930, she was literate and contributing as an unpaid farm laborer alongside her father. By 1940, twenty-three-year-old Mary was residing in the household of her older brother, H. Dave in Newton County while raising her two-year-old son, Andrew Dukes. Having completed the fifth grade, she remained closely connected to the extended Watkins family, whose multigenerational households often provided support and stability as family members worked, raised children, and cared for one another.
Building a Family
Before beginning her later marriage, Mary established a family of her own and became the mother of five children:
- Robert L. Evans
- Andrew Dukes
- Tommy Dukes
- Jimmy Dukes McGilberry
- Clara Mae Ezell
Raising her children became the center of her life, and throughout the years she remained devoted to both immediate and extended family.
A New Beginning in Arizona
Like thousands of African Americans who left Mississippi during the Great Migration, Mary eventually headed west in search of new opportunities.
She settled in Winslow, Arizona, a historic railroad community along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the famed Route 66 corridor. During the mid-twentieth century, Winslow became home to many Black families from Mississippi who sought employment and a chance to build new lives in the Southwest.
On August 16, 1976, Mary married Oliver McGilberry in Clark County, Nevada. Together they made their home in Winslow, where Mary became one of the community’s most recognizable and beloved residents.
Community Leadership & Public Service
Mary believed that serving others was both a civic duty and an expression of her faith.
During the 1960s, she volunteered with the Winslow Heart Fund Campaign, serving as a District Captain during annual fundraising drives supporting cardiovascular research and education. Local newspapers recognized her leadership and dedication, honoring her alongside other community volunteers for helping organize successful “Heart Sunday” campaigns.
Her willingness to give her time and energy reflected a lifelong commitment to improving the lives of those around her.
Faith, Fellowship & Everyday Joy
Faith remained at the center of Mary’s life.
She became a devoted member of Zion Baptist Church in Winslow, where she faithfully served on the Senior Usher Board, sang in the Senior Choir, and accepted leadership responsibilities such as Birthday Captain, helping raise funds for church ministries and outreach.
Outside the church, Mary was known for her warmth, generosity, and unmistakable style.
Friends remembered her for:
- preparing exceptional Southern meals, especially her famous chicken and dumplings;
- spending peaceful hours fishing and generously sharing her catch with neighbors;
- sewing, shopping, and wearing elegant hats that became part of her signature appearance;
- participating in the Northern District Baptist Association’s Spring Style Show, where she modeled fashionable attire with confidence and grace; and
- attending Winslow’s annual Standing on the Corner Festival, where her cheerful encouragement became part of the celebration.
She possessed the rare ability to make people feel welcome, whether they were lifelong friends or complete strangers.
Later Years & Legacy
Mary Lee Watkins McGilberry passed away at her home in Winslow, Arizona, on July 10, 2010, at the age of ninety-two, following complications from pneumonia.
She was laid to rest in Desert View Cemetery.
She was survived by her five children, nineteen grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, extended family members, and countless friends whose lives she had touched through decades of kindness and service.
Mary’s life reflected the remarkable journey of many African Americans who carried the traditions of rural Mississippi into new communities across America. Although she built a respected life in Arizona, she never lost the values learned in Newton County—faith, hospitality, generosity, and devotion to family.
Those who knew her best remembered her not simply for the offices she held or the organizations she served, but for the way she treated people. As her obituary so fittingly observed, she was truly “a friend to the friendless,” a woman whose compassion and joyful spirit enriched the lives of everyone around her.
Research Note
Mary Lee Watkins McGilberry is documented through federal census records, Arizona newspaper articles, Nevada marriage records, Social Security records, and her obituary. Together these sources trace her remarkable journey from the rural farming communities of Newton County, Mississippi, to the railroad town of Winslow, Arizona, where she became a respected church worker, civic volunteer, and community leader. Her life illustrates an important but often overlooked chapter of the Great Migration—the movement of African American families from Mississippi not only to the industrial North but also to the growing communities of the American Southwest.
Resting Place
Desert View Cemetery, Arizona
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1920 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, John Watkins household.
- 1930 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, Beat 4, John Watkins household.
- 1940 U.S. Census, Newton County, Mississippi, John Watkins household.
- Nevada Marriage Records, Clark County, Oliver McGilberry and Mary Lee Watkins, August 16, 1976.
- Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff, Arizona), articles covering the Winslow Heart Fund Campaign, 1960s.
- Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff, Arizona), articles covering the Northern District Baptist Association Spring Style Show.
- Mary Lee McGilberry obituary, Winslow, Arizona, July 2010.
- Desert View Cemetery, Winslow, Arizona, burial record for Mary Lee Watkins McGilberry.
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