A longtime Adams State professor and one of the San Luis Valley’s great fisherman, Kay Orville Watkins passed away at his Alamosa home this week with his wife, Janice, and family by his side. He was 92.
“The impact of an educator on learning can be evaluated at three levels: (1) impact on large numbers of students through large classes and activities, (2) impact on smaller number of students in small, more specialized classes and individual activities, and (3) impact on other educators. By all three of these measures, Kay O. Watkins has been outstanding,” read a summary of his career at Adams State when was inducted into the Adams State Educators Hall of Fame in 2015.
Originally from Nunn, CO., he had three majors as an undergraduate at Adams State – math, physics and chemistry – and received his bachelor’s degree from Adams in 1955. He then went off to fight in the Korean War before returning to academics and earning a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University in 1961.
He credited Adams State professor Tommy Thompson for helping light a fire that drove his academic career and passion for teaching. He initially taught chemistry at Adams State and left his mark as chairman and dean of Science, Mathematics and Technology over a 14-year period.
“As a grant writer, Watkins could hold his own with anyone,” Adams State wrote about him when he was named Outstanding Alumnus in 1993. He obtained grants from the National Science Foundation, Brookhaven National Lab, Colorado Alliance for Science, among others, to help build up Adams State’s reputation in the science and mathematics fields.
He helped establish Adams State’s first interactive computer lab through a National Science Foundation grant, and served as the first president of the San Luis Valley Regional Science Fair.
In a tribute to Watkins when he was named Outstanding Alumnus, then-Adams State President William Fulkerson said: “Adams State College has been blessed with many talented students and faculty. It is special when you have a Kay Watkins who brings you a double dose of excellence. He had a towering influence on this academic community, and we appreciate his many fine contributions as a student, faculty member and citizen.”
Watkins also had a passion for fly fishing and he was great at it, by the stories told of those he taught and brought into the world of fishing.
Marty Jones, retired chemistry professor from Adams State, recalled his first meeting with Watkins when he interviewed for a position in 1989. “I clearly remember Kay asking if I was a fisherman. When I replied ‘no’, but I did play golf, he actually looked relieved and mentioned to Mel Armold (ASC’s biochemist member of the search committee and avid fisherman) that I wouldn’t then be crowding their favorite fishing spots!
“Little did I know at the time that golf was going to be replaced as an outdoor activity by fly-fishing. After my first couple of fly-fishing outings with Kay and Mel, I was hooked and knew that fishing would become an important part of my life. Kay was a gracious and outstanding mentor and taught me more than I could have asked for,” Jones said.
Watkins was an avid member of Trout Unlimited (TU), and he did everything from trash pickup to creating trout habitat in various rivers. He reestablished the SLV TU chapter years ago and was honored by the TU State Office as an Outstanding Volunteer in 2016.
“My dad tied his last fly,” his daughter, Susan, shared to family and friends.
A celebration of Kay Watkins’ life will be held at Society Hall on Saturday, July 20.
He is survived by his wife, Janice Rogers Watkins, and their three daughters, Susan (Bradley) Schuler, Melissa Watkins Reega, and Laura (Scott) Ammerman. Grandchildren are Elise (Matt Boyle) Schuler, Daniel (Nicole) Schuler, Caitlin Ammerman, Mason Ammerman, Sarah Reega (Lucas Morse), and Thomas Reega (Lexi Reid)
Full obituary from Rogers Family Mortuary.