Memorial - Joseph L. Watkins - President, Truth For Today, 1986 - 2000
/Joseph (Joe) L. Watkins, 88, of Lafayette, passed away at 7:50 pm, Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at Creasy Springs Health Campus in Lafayette, IN.
Born August 25, 1927 in Lafayette, he was the son of the late Lewis and Ethel (Downs) Watkins. Joe also honorably served in the United States Army.
His first marriage was to Betty L. Davis on June 23, 1943 in Lafayette and she preceded him in death. He later married Marjorie Ruth Kayser on May 24, 1987 in California and she survives.
Joe was self-employed as a developer and builder, retiring in 2001. He developed Watkins Glen Subdivision and was past President of Truth for Today Ministries from 1986 - 2002. Joe enjoyed golfing and traveling, especially enjoying his trips to Israel, Hawaii, France, and Switzerland.
Surviving with his wife, Marjorie Watkins, are his children, Roger A. Watkins (wife: Jean) and Adina Dyer (husband: Grant), both of Lafayette; siblings, Minnie Spurgeon of Lafayette and Myrtle Garrison of Watseka, IL; four grandchildren; and several great grandchildren.
Preceding him in death with his parents and first wife is a son, Terry Watkins, and nine siblings.
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The above was the obituary written in Joe’s hometown newspaper. That being said, it speaks virtually nothing of what he has meant to Truth for Today and its ministry. He worked tirelessly and passionately for the ministry he loved dearly.
Joe spent countless hours studying and speaking the message of the One Body of Christ to all who would listen and maybe even to some who wouldn’t truly hear the message in their hearts until years later.
Here, I’m speaking of myself and of Joe’s influence on me as a boy, and later as a man, who sought his counsel and followed in his footsteps to become the current TFT President after his failing health made it impossible for him to continue the work he had accepted after the passing of TFT’s founder, Oscar Baker.
With the help of his daughter, Adina Dyer, Joe wrote 5 books about Musterion Truth. Also he wrote about practical truths, concerning death and the Holy Spirit. he lives on thru these writings, he continues on in our hearts and in our memories for his love of the rightly-divided truth.……………
We know Joe is asleep in Christ, awaiting resurrection. We look forward to our time together with him again, in the heavenly places far above all heavens.
Scripture tells us…
Col. 3:1-4 “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in Glory.”
Eph. 3:8-10 “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.”
II Tim. 4:1 “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;”
II Tim. 4:6-8 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
Phil. 3:14,15“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”
Robert E. Guenther, President TFT, Aug. 2016
