Ann Katherine Watkins' Obituary
Ann Katherine Alvey Watkins, a loving and spirited wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and neighbor, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at the age of 68.
Ann is survived by her devoted husband of 48 years, Hank Watkins; their three daughters and their partners, Melissa and Martin Cherry, Kristen and Jesse Whittington, and Jessica Watkins and Jaime Silberman; and her six cherished grandchildren—Brooklyn, Dean, and Reese Whittington; Mack and Margot Cherry; and Barry Silberman. She is also survived by her siblings Allison Joyce Sutton, Robert Francis Alvey Jr., Elizabeth Berry Harper, and Mary Bridgette Ellis.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert Francis Alvey and Ruth Ann Berry Alvey; her father-in-law, David Charles Watkins; and her siblings William Francis Alvey, Susan Elaine Dietz, and Sarah Jane Alvey Hall.
Ann was born on April 11, 1957, in Danville, Kentucky, into a large Catholic family. Her father's position as a tire salesman moved them frequently until settling in East Nashville during her teenage years. It was there she would meet the love of her life, Hank. They married in 1978 and went on to spend the next five decades building their beautiful tapestry of family, friendship, and love.
Ann graduated from Father Ryan Highschool in 1975 and became a Licensed Practical Nurse in 1989, a career rooted in her deep care for others. After sustaining an injury on the job, she shifted her focus to volunteering at her daughter’s school, Hattie Cotton Elementary, which would lead to a position in the Metro Nashville Public Schools, where she worked for 20 years before retiring in 2014.
Outside of work, Ann was a Girl Scout troop leader, a Nashville Girls Softball team mom and dedicated scorekeeper, and was often described as a “second mother” to many. She truly never met a stranger. Ann was a lively storyteller who took delight in reading, following crime mysteries, ghost hunting, and reporting neighborhood construction violations.
She liked to spend her time flying kites while listening to music and tending to her gardens where she nurtured a large variety of flowers like second children. She was always up for a road trip and especially loved the family’s annual pilgrimage to Panama City Beach, Florida.
Above all else, Ann’s greatest joy was her grandchildren. She delighted in every moment spent with them. She was a fierce advocate for the people she loved - and for anyone who needed a helping hand. Her kindness, uniquely charismatic warm spirit, and unwavering sense of justice left an indelible mark on her community and everyone fortunate enough to know her.
Visitation will be held at Spring Hill Funeral Home on Thursday, February 12, from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Services will take place at Spring Hill Chapel Mausoleum on Friday, February 13, at 12:00 p.m.
A visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. will take place prior to the service.
Burial will follow at Historic Spring Hill Cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to Spring Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5110 Gallatin Pike, Nashville, TN 37216, 615-865-1101, https://www.springhillfh.com.
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