Maxine Powell Watkins, age 90, passed away peacefully on May 16, 2026, at her home on Lake Ridge Road in Leitchfield, Kentucky. She was the daughter of the late Billie and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Sanders Powell. She was born May 19th, 1935, just under the hill from where she passed away.
She is survived by her husband of 74 years, Clayton Watkins, her son Reverend Garry Watkins (Linda), eight grandchildren, Jennifer Cummings (Marty), John Lee Beasley, Angela Elmore (Anthony), Allison Powell (Jamie), Abby Dennison (Tyler), Aaron Watkins (Ashton), Clay Duvall (Allison) and Cody Duvall (Michele). She is also survived by fifteen great-grandchildren, Claire, Kate, Collyns, and Abel Elmore, Griffin, Maddox, and Carleigh Quinn Powell, Jude and Beau Dennison, Eleanor and
Garrison Watkins, Noah (Kenzie) and Maxton (Elizabeth) Cummings, and Gwendolyn and Brynn Duvall. She had two great-great grandchildren, Clayton and Houston Cummings.
Other than her parents, she was preceded in death by two daughters, Patricia Beasley and Lorie Duvall, her sisters, Sylvia Duvall, Elvia Childress, and Wilma Lashley, brothers, Chesteen, Elmer, and Edgar (Peewee) Powell, and one great-granddaughter Lorris Louise Cummings.
Maxine worked many years for the family business, Clayton Watkins Construction. Maxine was a member of Claggett United Baptist Church for 77 years, where she was saved as a thirteen-year-old girl.
She would often tell of the time when she and her sister Elvia walked up the hill from the Claggett Schoolhouse to attend a revival day service at the church, being held by Brothers Leonard Synder and Ditt Webb, and how the Lord sent conviction to her heart that day. The fear of the Lord heavy on her, she purposed in her heart to return to church that same night where she and Elvia both found the sweet peace of salvation, begging for mercy on separate ends of the altar. She was a spiritual woman and a pillar of the church.
She once attended a revival at Mulberry Flats church where her granddaughter, Allison, was bowing on the altar seeking salvation with several others. She testified that the Lord had plainly shown her that all those bowing would be saved, but that Allison would be the last one. It happened exactly that way.
Maxine was gifted. She was a seamstress and could make clothes. She was an excellent cook, her chicken and dumplings, chicken salad, and Italian Crème cake were great favorites at after church Sunday dinners where the pastor was a frequent visitor.
Her home was always open to visitors and overnight guests were frequent and welcomed. She looked well to the ways of her household. When her children were young, her husband Clayton was working in Louisville and he was an unbeliever. Life was difficult for Maxine at that time, having to see to the children, taking care of them, taking care of the home, and being alone much of the time.
During this time, she was the rock that held the family together. Maxine never wavered in her faith in God and in 1985 her prayers of many years were answered when Clayton was saved. Since that time, they have walked together hand in hand in the love of God, very rarely missing a church service until recent months, even then attending many times when she was not physically able.
Maxine was always concerned about her family, desiring to see all of them find the Lord as she did. In her last hours, her voice very weak, she would sing, “I Want Us To Be Together In Heaven”. Through twenty years of going to church without her husband, she was not moved from her faith in God, when she lost two daughters early in life, she was not moved. When her health declined, her body weak and in pain, she was not moved. Only in death did she move, when the Lord took the breath of
life from her and moved her soul to higher ground. She lived a life of faith, and had favor with God and man. Let her own works praise her in the gates.
Funeral services will be at 12:00 p.m. Thursday, (May 21, 2026) at the Claggett United Baptist Church in Leitchfield. Bro. Todd Cassidy, Bro. Danny Dickson and Bro. Wayne Tomes will be officiating. Burial will be in the Claggett United Baptist Cemetery.
Visitation will be at the Dermitt Funeral Home from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday and from 9:00 a.m. Thursday at Claggett United Baptist Church until time of services.
Online condolences can be made in the guestbook on our website at www.dermittfuneralhome.com.
