b. April 15, 1934m. (1) Patricia Mae Reeves. 1973/74
m. (2) Berchie Isenberg
m. (3) Thelma Cotner
Bobby Mack Watlington is the third son of Albert and Annette Glover Watlington of Jackson, Tenn. He received his education in the Jackson City Schools while his parents lived on East Chester Street and his father worked at the Jackson City Water Works on South Royal St. While still a youth Bobby lost the sight of one eye in a childhood playground accident. Despite this he volunteered for military duty with the U.S. Navy and served three years, 1950-Nov. 1953 while still a minor. Most of this time was at Hunter's Point, San Francisco Bay Area. A part of this time was on the crew of a destroyer, the U.S.S. Marsh (No. 699). He completed his years of service as a Boatswain Mate. Returning to civilian life he chose carpentry as his work.
He married, Feb. 22, 1953, Miss Patricia Mae Reaves, whose family was from Louisiana, and they had three children: Kenneth Wayne (b. 1954, Oklahoma), Michael (b. 1955, Tenn.), and Leonard ( b. ca. 1957, Tenn.)
The marriage was dissolved and the mother married J. T. Priddy whose relatives aided in the rearing of these three children. All three grew up in or near Jackson, Tenn., and Kenneth Wayne and Michael still live there.
Kenneth Wayne has three sons: Michael Brady (b. 1974), Matthew (b. 1984), and Ryan (b. 1991). He and his second wife, Karen Taylor, live on the edge of Gibson Co. with a Medina P.O. address.
Leonard Watlington (b. 1955) married Brenda Dotson and they have two children: Carla (b. ca. 1976) who graduated from Southside High School in Jackson in 1993; and Stephen (b. ca. 1989.)
Michael Watlington (b. ca. 1957) lives near Paris, Tenn.
Bobby Mack met, and married second, a practical nurse working in Jackson, Berchie Isenberg of Sullivan Co., Tenn., March 13, 1959. They both worked in Jackson and Bobby's mother helped them with childcare during the next several years. They have four children; Bobby Ray, Anna Maria, Susan Antoinette, and Janet Leigh. This marriage was dissolved formally in October 1971. Berchie went with the children back to her parental home in Sullivan Co. near Kingsport where the children grew to maturity.
Shortly after an official divorce, Bobby was united in marriage to Mrs. Thelma Cotner in the Autumn of 1971. A few years later the health of Bobby broke and by 1974 he was unable to work at the age of forty and has been in and out of hospital care and in need of nursing care. Being a nurse, Thelma has been able to help greatly with his care. They live at Cedar Grove on the south side of Jackson.
The Watlington-Isenberg children have families of their own now. Three live near Kingsport, where Bobby Ray Watlington and family operate a photographic studio. Anna Maria Watlington Lee has recently completed a graduate degree in Social Work at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.