Lucille Wathen

Lucille was married to Evan H. "Slats" Wathen for forty-nine and a half years before his passing in 2005. Together they were active in their community and raised their eight children. Theirs was a partnership where Slats was usually the one who shined and Lucille was his "help-meet" in the truest description of the term, a full partner balancing him, supporting him and was the wind beneath his wings helping him to achieve the accomplishments that he was noted for. But her life cannot be defined only in that regard. She was so much more. Raised in a Methodist Pastor's multigenerational parsonage family, her family moved frequently from appointment to appointment. Arriving in Texas at the age of seven, she lived in Markum, Athens, Larue, Winona, Canton, Alto, and finished high school in Silsbee. She also lived in Galveston, Palestine, Port Arthur, Rosenberg, Vidor - where she met Slats and then Beaumont for the next fifty years before moving to Fairfield for the last ten years of her life. As she grew up in a strong Christian faith, her life might have been fragmented by all the moves, but her family life stayed strong. They learned to face changes together and she accepted her faith in Jesus, learned how to serve that faith and the traditions of Methodism no matter where she was. As an adult, she began to serve in the church and to be an active member of the Body of Christ, serving in Sunday School Departments, the Youth Department, United Methodist Women's groups, and other assorted committees. One area in which she was able to shine and use her long years of experience within the Methodist tradition, was her leadership of first the Altar Guild & later the Worship Committee. She served willingly, giving of her talents and skills but it was in her home where she made the most difference: loving eight children, each with their own unique needs, modeling for them what it meant to be loving, gracious, forgiving, and faithful. She was a classy Lady in character and wit, with a quick sense of humor that she didn't always share but you might have caught a glimpse of in the twinkle of her blue blue eyes. Impeccable manners that she exhibited right up to the end of her life along with a true goodness and kindness, won the hearts of everyone she met throughout her years. Most of all she taught her children that love is what matters most.

She is preceded in death by her parents; brother; two sisters; husband, Evan H. "Slats" Wathen; son, Cody H. Wathen; sons (in-law), Sweeney King, Jeff Patterson, Charles Jones, and Don Keith.

Lucille, our Mother, Mom, Memaw, Mimi, Ms. Luci, Best Friend, Sister in Christ will be remembered by her children, Lunette King, of Houston, Texas; Ray and Teri Wathen, of Richmond, Texas; Carolyn Patterson, of Indianapolis, Indiana; Ellen Jones of Fairfield, Texas;    J Scott and Deborah Wathen, of Weatherford, Texas; Grace Wathen, of Fairfield, Texas; Peggy and Leland Knapp, of Rockport, Texas; seventeen grandchildren; twenty-nine and a half great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Patricia Floyd, of Liberty, Texas, Martha Smith, of Beaumont, Texas, Nita Carol Wathen, of Austin, Texas; brother-in-law, Thurman "Shug" and Julie Wathen, of Roseburg, Oregon; along with many nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Wathen’s funeral service will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, May 30, 2015, in the Sanctuary at First United Methodist Church, 701 Calder Avenue, Beaumont, with a reception to follow in the Narthex.  Her committal will be held at Broussard’s Crematorium, Beaumont.

Memorial Contributions made be made to First United Methodist Church, 701 Calder Avenue, Beaumont, Texas 77701, First United Methodist Church, 201 S Mount Street, Fairfield, Texas, 75840, or  walk4hearing.org, click on Find a Walk, click on Houston, then donate to Wathen Walkers, this is the Hearing Loss Association of America, HLAA.