FERRIDAY — Services for James P. Watkins Jr., 81, of Ferriday, who died Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009, at Rapides Regional Medical Center in Alexandria, La., will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Patrick Catholic Church with the Rev. Louis Sklar officiating.

Burial will follow at the National Cemetery with full military honors under the direction of Concordia Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. with a Mass of Rosary at 6:45 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Mr. Watkins was born Nov. 1, 1927, in Ferriday, the son of James and Louise Spivey Watkins.

He was retired from the U.S. Army with more than 20 years of service. He served during the Korean Conflict and Vietnam Era.

Mr. Watkins was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Sherry McClain.

Survivors include his wife, Rosemary Whitley Watkins of Ferriday; two sons, James P. Watkins III and wife, Daphane, of Las Vegas and Gregory C. Watkins and wife, Jennifer, of Dallas; two daughters, Tara V. Taylor and husband, Edward of Shalimar, Fla. and deIonne Jones and husband, William, of Hawaii; two brothers, John L. Jackson of Homestead, Fla. and James P. Watkins and wife, Marie, of Silver Springs, Md.; one sister, Gwendolyn Robledo of Ferriday; 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Online condolences may be sent to www.concordiafuneralhome.com