Marguerite Nell (Watts) Southerland, 102, of Ash Flat passed away Aug. 23, 2021, in Ash Flat, Arkansas.
She was born July 7, 1919, in Pleasant Plains to Edgar Watts and Johnie Emma (Pearce) Watts. She was united in marriage to James E. Southerland on May 31, 1941.
Marguerite graduated from Arkansas College in Batesville and taught in area schools. She later became a librarian and retired as superintendent of Prairie County libraries. She was a wonderful quilter and spent many happy hours with the Happy Stitches Quilting Club in Ash Flat. She attended Salem First Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sons, Jim Southerland (Miriam) of Nashville, Tennessee and Joel Southerland (Mittie) of Paducah, Kentucky; one daughter, Rita Cotham of Ash Flat; one brother, Richard Watts (Jewel) of Temple, Texas; six grandchildren, Jef Cotham, Kiki Crider (John), Susan Fouche (Steve), Liz White (Matt), Rachel Reid (Josh), and Harper Coulter (Nathan), and five great-grandchildren, Nick, Ellie, William, Emmett, and Elijah.
She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband, James Southerland as well as a son-in-law, Rodney J. Cotham.
Graveside services will be Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at Concord Cemetery with Bro. John Hodges officiating under the direction of Roller-Crouch Funeral Home.
