Brenda Watkins

A Celebration of Life Service for Brenda Watkins, 76, of Selmer, TN will be Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Forty Forks Baptist Church officiated by Bro. Randy Smith with interment to follow in Mars Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday, November 6, 2023 from 5-8 PM at Forty Forks Baptist Church in Bethel Springs, TN. Pallbearers include Ethan Watkins, Matthew Watkins, Jayte Chapman, Zach Elam, Jacob Elam, and Lee Jerrett. Brenda was born on November 8, 1946 to the late Lebron and Cornelia Moore Chapman. She passed away on November 4, 2023 at Hardin Medical Center in Savannah, TN. Brenda was a retired surgery supervisor after 33 years with McNairy County General Hospital.  She also retired after being the music leader for 16 years at Forty Forks Baptist Church where she loved leading the church in song and praise.  She was dearly loved by her church family and everyone who knew her.  Her hobbies included fishing, playing ball, riding mule and wagons, taking long rides in her 1950 Ford car and going to the mountains. She loved spending as much time as she could with her family and attending as many music festivals as she could. She spent 4 years leading the singing at Temple Baptist Church in Savannah and was instrumental in reorganizing the long closed Forty Forks Baptist Church where in addition to leading the singing she enjoyed doing public relations for the church and booking several professional groups for singings. Brenda loved to play bass guitar and sang with a group from Corinth for several years.  She was happiest when she had her beloved husband close by and always had a kind word for anyone around. 

Survivors include her husband of 49 ½ years, Lloyd Watkins; her son, Gerald Elam and wife Mary; her son, Andy Watkins and wife Rebecca; her brother, Tony Chapman and wife Wanda; her grandchildren, Jeannie Jarrett, Lee Jarrett (Autumn), Joe Williams (Carrie), Jessica Edmonds, Laci Moore, Lindsey Elam, Zach Elam, Jacob Elam, Lane Brasher, Ethan Watkins, Sarah Watkins, Andrew Copeland (Abby), and Matthew Watkins; 19 great grandchildren; and a niece and nephew. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Cornelia Moore Chapman and Lebron Chapman; her son, Stephen Elam; her daughters, Wanda Jarrett, Sandra (Kitten) Brasher, and Rebecca Williams. Online condolences may be left at magnoliafuneralhome.net.