A Heart of gold; Remembering Rich Watkins

By JoAnn R. Walter —

The Owego community is mourning the passing of a dear friend, family member, and a shining light to many. Richard Watkins, the owner of Jackpot Richie’s, a chicken barbecue restaurant located at 16 Rte. 96 in Owego, N.Y., passed away on Nov. 22. He was 63.

Watkins wife, Karen, who worked alongside her husband at the establishment, shared with friends and followers of Jackpot Richie’s, “He will certainly be missed by all of us here, and may his legacy continue on. He was so proud of the barbecue, and everything we did there, and planned to do.”

Known to many as Rich or Richie, Karen remarked in a phone interview, “He made a lot of friendships and very close relationships with nearly all of the barbecue customers,” adding, “To Rich, everyone was family.”

And Karen noted that sense of family extended to new customers who stopped by Jackpot Richie’s for the first time, and also to the repeat customers from afar who grabbed their favorite barbecue dish while traveling through to the Finger Lakes.

Watkins passed away unexpectedly while on a Caribbean cruise with his family. Karen reflected that she and Rich, and the whole family, love to travel, and St. Thomas was one of Richie’s treasured destinations.

This year’s cruise, though, and after a stop at Richie’s best-loved restaurant in Port Canaveral, Florida, Fish Lips, took them via the Dominican Republic to the popular Grand Turk Island.

A 1979 graduate of Owego Free Academy, Watkins grew up on McMaster Street, and Owego was always home. Richie worked for 33-plus years at Frito Lay, and for two years at Tioga Downs before opening Jackpot Richie’s.

Some might remember Rich’s memorable voice over the speaker system at Tioga Downs, and where, in his announcer’s voice, exclaimed, “And today’s jackpot is … .” It was there that the name Jackpot Richie was coined.

Described as a man with a heart of gold, as well as a true “people person,” Richie is remembered for setting up a makeshift cooking station on Ross Street to feed the community following the flood of 2011, just one of many examples of how he cared for others. The Watkins have often volunteered and given back to local charitable organizations.

“He cooked for everyone then,” Karen recalled, adding, “He was really all about helping others.”

The passion for cooking continued throughout Richie’s life, whether cooking at home or taking on catering gigs with friends. Karen said that passion originated from Rich’s mother’s kitchen. Even today, Jackpot Richie’s famous salads, such as macaroni and potato, are from Jean Watkins’s recipe collection.

The passion for creating good food grew, leading to the Watkins’ purchase of the Route 96 property, a former produce stand, in 2018. Jackpot Richie’s opened in 2019, and the couple had worked on improvements to the property, including an addition.

The popular food stop, self-described as “Not your average roadside barbecue,” has nurtured a following ever since. One of the more recent menu additions, Karen explained, and one that she is quite proud of, was perfecting their new brisket offering, a recipe that Rich and Karen came up with together.

Karen reflected positively on the business for the next year explaining that she would still like to continue it, although there are several details to consider, such as finding the right match for a cook position and potentially starting with modified hours. Plans will be forthcoming and announced once it gets closer to opening for the season.

Funeral services were held on Monday, Dec. 16 at the Estey, Munroe & Fahey Funeral Home.

The family received friends on Sunday. 

One of Richie’s passions was his German Shepherds, so a memorial contribution can be made in his memory to Stray Haven Humane Society, 194 Shepherd Rd., Waverly, N.Y.  14892.

You can read the full obituary and share condolences at www.emfaheyfuneralhome.com.