Robert Phillip Watkins, 78 died Sunday, November 18, 2012 at Hospice House surrounded by family after a brief illness with cancer. Phillip was born October 4, 1934 in Petersburg, Illinois to George Samuel and Helen Taylor Watkins. He was a graduate of Petersburg High School. While attending Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois he was drafted into the US Army for service during the Korean Conflict. After leaving the Army he attended and graduated from Tri-State University in Angola, Indiana with a BS in Electrical Engineering. Phillip had a 30 year career which began with General Motors in Milwaukee, Wis. where he worked on the Apollo Space Program. He later moved to Bloomington/Normal, Illinois working for General Electric in Marketing. In 1976 he transferred the GESCO division of GE in Raleigh, NC and later became the Marketing Manager for the GE Industrial Solutions Division in Mebane, NC until retirement in 1995. Phillip was an avid fisherman and hunter. He was a loyal Chicago Cubs and Bears fan, but he was a diehard Duke basketball fan. In retirement he enjoyed time spent on fine woodworking and cabinet making projects, but more than anything he cherished the extra time spent with family and friends, especially his grandchildren. Phillip was a member of St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church after moving to Raleigh. In retirement to the North Carolina High Country, he was a member of St. Elizabethâ??s Catholic Church in Boone, NC. After moving back to Raleigh, in order to be closer to family, he was a parishioner at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Phillip is survived by his wife of 55 years, Reta Robinson Watkins; daughter Christine Rich-Hanson of Champaign Il; Sons Brian and wife Cheri of Raleigh NC, Andy and wife Lisa of Apex NC, and Bradley and wife Chantal of Wake Forest NC; Nine grandchildren and one great grandchild. Also a sister, Georgia L Zarvell of Peoria Il. He was predeceased by a brother David P Watkins and a grandchild Erin Elizabeth Watkins.