Minnie Wolf
April 25, 1942 - October 26, 2024

Minnie Jean Watkins was born April 25, 1942 in Sona Bata, Belgian Congo (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) in the Mission Clinic/hospital. Her parents, Marry and Linda Watkins, wer missionaries to the Belgian Congo. She had an older sister, Charlotte Ann, who died this past April, and a younger brother, Daniel. Minnie spent her early years in the American Baptist Mission near Leopoldville (now Kinshasa). All the natives spoke Lingala, which became her primary language. English was only spoken at home. She usually sat in the daily Bible and/or sewing classes that her mother taught the women. She was homeschooled by her mother for two years, until the government required all white children to attend a French-speaking government school miles away. This required Minnie and her two siblings to walk through the village to a school bus stop and ride the bus to school, about an hour each way. Since she spoke Lingala, not French, it was difficult for her until she learned to speak French.

Her family lived in a house shared with another family on the banks of the Congo River. There was no dependable electricity, thus no refrigerator, radio, telephone or washing machine. The family had no car, but could occasionally get a ride with neighbors. Minnie learned to watch out for snakes, wild dogs and numerous crawling creatures. A wild dog attack accounted for her life-long fear of dogs.

Her family came to America in 1952 and lived in San Jose for a year and a half before moving to Denair, a small town near Modesto, Calif. Minnie quickly adjusted to life in America. She enjoyed having a radio, telephone, electric lights, washing machine, family car and English-speaking friends. She made many life-long friends in church and school. She enjoyed going to church summer camp each year and was active in social events. She was on the homecoming court all through high school.

Her parents remained very active in church and foreign mission work, traveling to speak in different churches and conferences. Minnie and her sister often went along dressed in authentic native clothes. They would sing duets in Lingala and/or French. Her younger brother was glad he couldn’t sing.

A family tradition was to read aloud the Christmas story from Luke in French or Lingala prior to reading in English. Christmas carols were also sung in three languages. This tradition faded with the loss of family members who knew all the words.

After high school Minnie enrolled in Modesto Junior College. In her first semester, on her way to school one foggy morning, a Caltrans truck came across the line on Highway 99 and hit her head-on. Minnie sustained serious injuries that plagued her all her life. She was in the hospital three months.

She lived in the San Francisco Bay Area, then Colorado for a few years, and then back to the the Bay Area. She worked for Wells Fargo Bank for over thirty years. In 1979, as Personal Banking Officer, she met Chuck, who had just moved to California. She introduced him to Jesus. They were married on Valentine’s Day, 1981. They lived in San Bruno until 2004, when they retired to Eureka.

Minnie was passionate about many things: Her strong faith in Christ, singing classic hymns, making soup, healthy eating and travel. They vacationed several times each in Cabo San Lucas, England, France and Italy, plus Panama Canal and St. Lawrence Seaway cruises. She had to give up traveling as her bones became more and more fragile. She became very involved with Humboldt County Republicans. From her hospital bed, she told almost everyone who came into her room who and what to vote for as long as she was able. Her pain was great and she is now with her sister in a much better place.

Services will be held at the First Covenant Church, 2526 J Street, Eureka on Saturday, December 7 at 4 p.m. Refreshments to follow.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Minnie Wolf’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.