Charles Daniel "Chuck" Watkins II, 76, passed away on October 5, 2026, surrounded by his family, and returned home to his Heavenly Father.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the Heritage Ward Chapel, 1850 South 2300 East, Spanish Fork, Utah. A viewing will be held from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 10:00 a.m. Burial will take place at the Spanish Fork Cemetery.

Chuck was born December 23, 1949, in Covina, California. He was raised by his father, Charles Daniel Watkins, whom he loved deeply and remained very close to throughout his life. He later made Utah home.

He married his eternal sweetheart, Terri King, on November 11, 1988, in Price, Utah. They were later sealed for time and all eternity in the Jordan River Utah Temple on April 24, 1993. Chuck and Terri were a perfect match. Terri was his eternal sweetheart and the love of his life, faithfully by his side through the many health challenges he faced throughout his life.

More than anything, Chuck was a family man. He was the father of six children: Shane Dougal, Buffie Watkins, Bryce Dougal, Summer Watkins, Amy Watkins, and Sean Watkins. He loved and raised them all as his own, provided for them, coached them, taught them, and continued to show up for them long after they were grown.

That may be one of the simplest ways to describe Chuck: he was always there.

When his children were young, he wrestled with them, coached baseball and football, and taught by example. As they grew older, he was still there whenever they needed him, whether it was advice, help with a project, or simply someone to talk to.

Later he became "Papa," a role he loved. His grandchildren adored him. He lit up around them, teased them, played cards and games with them, and attended their games, pageants and recitals. He made sure they knew he was there for them too.

Chuck had a good sense of humor, usually expressed by giving other people — and himself — a hard time. And when things really weren't going his way, they might hear a loud, "Judas Priest!" — a phrase none of them quite understood but everyone came to love.

He was also known for his mustache, his love of Hershey's chocolate, and his inability to resist
an M&M.

Football was probably Chuck's greatest hobby. He proudly played linebacker in high school and college and loved the game throughout his life. He was a devoted Pittsburgh Steelers fan, a loyalty that began because his father had been a steelworker. Sundays after church often meant watching NFL games with his children, debating players and quarterbacks, and arguing over whether the Steelers or someone else was better. He also loved BYU football, motorcycles, shooting, making hand-crafted knives, model airplanes, and cribbage. His love of motorcycles included one especially memorable adventure when he set out alone and rode more than 11,000 miles in just 21 days, traveling to the four corners of the United States. He especially enjoyed playing cribbage with his father-in-law, Don King.

Chuck spent his entire career in law enforcement, finishing his service with the Utah Highway Patrol and as a bailiff in Carbon County. Being a highway patrolman was a major part of his identity, and he loved the work.

Chuck believed in being grateful, focusing on the good, and not complaining about the bad. He expected a certain amount of toughness from everyone around him too. When he saw someone doing especially difficult manual labor, he would often tell his children, "That's the reason for a higher education."

His faith was another defining part of his life. Chuck was not raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but as a young adult in California he met with missionaries and chose to be baptized. From that point forward, his faith became deeply important to him.

Over the years, he served as an elders quorum president, in bishoprics, alongside Terri in young single adult wards, and in the Payson Utah Temple. Serving in the baptistry was especially meaningful to him.

In his final hours, Terri, all six of his children, and many of his grandchildren gathered around his bedside. As his grandson played the piano, the family sang hymns together.

For a man who spent so much of his life determined to be with his family, it seems fitting that when the time finally came for him to leave, his family was there with him.

Chuck was preceded in death by his father, Charles Daniel Watkins, and his in-laws, Don and Shirley King.

Chuck is survived by his eternal sweetheart, Terri; his six children, Shane, Buffie, Bryce, Summer, Amy, and Sean; 20 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and one on the way.

He will be remembered by those who knew him for his strength, his faith, his sense of humor, and the way he was always there for the people he loved.