Patty Leona Fairbanks Watts

Patty Leona Fairbanks Watts - Submitted for the USGenWeb Richard P Sevier May 11, 2025

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Patty Leona Fairbanks Watts - Madison Parish, Louisiana
Crothers-Glenwood Funeral Home Tallulah, LA April 2025
November 26, 1948 ~ April 21, 2025 76 Years Old

Patty Leona Fairbanks Watts, 76, passed away Monday, April 21, 2025, at Legacy Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Tallulah surrounded by her loving family. She was born November 26, 1948, in Tallulah, Louisiana, to Archie and Jetty Frohberg Fairbanks.

Patty graduated from Tallulah High School where she played basketball and was a member of the band. After high school, she attended Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana, where she earned a degree in Business Administration. After college, she returned to Tallulah to marry the love of her life for 55 years, Tilford M Watts, Jr., where they started the family farm and raised three boys. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, and the "star of the show" to her grandchildren, affectionately known as "Maw Maw Patty" to them. Anytime her family needed her, she was available to help out at a moments notice. Patty was a member of First Methodist Church of Tallulah and Eastern Star.

While raising a family and keeping up with life on the farm, Patty had a successful professional career as an educator at Tallulah Junior High, Tallulah High School, and Louisiana Technical College where she taught math, and various adult education classes. Many of her past students have commented that she was the best math teacher and always took time to make sure they understood their assignments. Patty earned several teacher of the year awards during her career, and was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society for female educators. Eventually, she was elected to the Madison Parish School Board where she served until retirement from the Louisiana Public School System.

Patty enjoyed traveling, especially with Tilford, during the farming off season. Some of the places they visited were Alaska, Colorado, California, Florida Everglades, Kentucky, and many trips to see family that lived outside of Tallulah. During the farming season, Patty enjoyed taking a ride through the farm in the evenings to see the work that had been accomplished for the day. As a little girl, she once took a trip to Europe with her mother to visit relatives and places her mom lived before moving to America after WWII.

Patty will always be remembered as a good cook, having fed many people over the years and getting requests for her signature dishes on the holidays and special events. Whether it be a weeknight meal for Tilford and the boys, dinner for the workers on the farm, holidays, or big meals when extended family were visiting, there was always something good going on in her kitchen!

When grandchildren came along, Patty once again found a place to shine! Maw Maw Patty loved spending time with her grandchildren, jumping at an opportunity to take care of them, even when they were sick.

She always had a bag of treats to share and kept a set of car seats buckled down in case she wanted to take them on an errand and show them off to everyone along the way.

Patty will be greatly missed. She has earned her place in heaven and leaves behind a lasting legacy with many memories for her family to cherish.

Patty is preceded in death by her parents, Archie and Jetty Fairbanks. She is survived by her husband, Tilford Watts, Jr.; three sons, Cliff Watts (Brandi), Jeff Watts (Brandy), and Wade Watts (Sara), four grandchildren, Everett Watts, Chaney Watts, Ruby Watts, and Dean Watts; four step-grandchildren, Kellum Anderson, Baylea Ogden, Avery Shivers, and Talmadge Parker; one brother, Archie Fairbanks, Jr., two sisters, Margaret Leoty (Tommy) and Marilyn Bedgood; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Patty will be held at 2:00 PM, Friday, April 25, 2025, at Crothers Glenwood Funeral Home with Rev. Bert Felder officiating.Visitation will begin at 1:00 PM. Burial will follow at Silver Cross Cemetery in Tallulah.

Pallbearers will be Everett Watts, Dean Watts, Eric Cherene, Kellum Anderson, Jared Fairbanks, and Dickie Harris. Honorary pallbearers will be her nieces and nephews.