Ronald Earl Watkins, 71, of Wirtz, Virginia, died Sunday, January 11, 2026, at his home.

Born August 23, 1954, in Lexington, Virginia, he was a son of the late Earl Stanley Watkins and Edith Virginia Hill Watkins.

Also preceding him in death were his brothers, Donnie and Gary Watkins.

He began his career at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in housekeeping and then moved to the maintenance department, where he retired after 39 years of service.

He was featured in a Roanoke Times article that noted that for many of those years, he walked to work three miles from his home in Vinton until he purchased a moped. The article also noted that after his day at the hospital, he would cut grass for several Vinton families.

Surviving is his sister, Sandra Peery.

A funeral will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday, January 16, at Harrison Funeral Chapel by the Rev. David Bain. Burial will follow at Glasgow Cemetery.