BILLIE'S OBITUARY
Billie Marie Anderson Watson died on May 29th at 89 years of age, after walking the crooked path of dementia but holding tightly to the kindness of Jesus at every turn. She was also a cancer survivor. On the straight paths of her life, she always looked for opportunities to reflect the kindness of Jesus. Her servant's heart was directed towards her family and to others who needed love, support, and prayer. She sacrificially devoted herself to the needs of her husband and her two children. She enjoyed the good times with each of them, and when they experienced difficulties, she stood in the gap with them. She and her husband were married for 55 years, and she worked diligently to support him in maintaining a general level of daily wellness despite a severe asthmatic condition. This experience perhaps inspired her to become a nurse in mid-life. As a devoted Christian mother, she sacrificially placed the needs of her children first, including taking them to church regularly and modeling Christian servanthood to them on a daily basis. When her elementary school-age son suffered a serious head injury that precipitated a form of epilepsy, she dutifully took him to regular neurological checkups at the Blue Bird Clinic at Houston Methodist Hospital. Over her lifetime, there were many other acts of service to her family. Her model of Christian obedience and servanthood is worthy of emulation and will reverberate for generations in the lives of her family and friends. Her life is a reminder that simple daily acts of care and concern can change lives.
She was born in Corsicana, Texas to Bill "Shorty" Anderson and Lola Schneider Anderson on September 6th, 1930. Both a granddaughter, Sarah & a great granddaughter, Abigail, share her birth date. Her dad was a roustabout in the East Texas oil fields, and his job took his family to London, Texas (now New London), before the family moved later to the Old Meico community near Overton. She attended London School in the first grade. On the day of the New London School explosion, March 18, 1937, she was to meet her two older sisters, Lillian and Allene, inside the school building near an exit, to ride home with them at the end of the school day. A classmate, however, asked her to step outside of the building to play jacks, technically disobeying her mother's instructions to wait for her sisters inside. Her classmate won the first game, and Billie asked her to play again near the time the explosion occurred. Both of her sisters were killed in the explosion, but she survived. By God's Providence, her family history changed as the result of playing jacks with a friend outside the building. As a result of this tragedy where nearly 300 children, PTA guests, and school staff died in the newly constructed school, Billie became the oldest child in her family. As Billie grew up, her parents counted on her for help in caring for the family and her younger siblings, Edith, Sandra, and Bob. She willingly helped with household chores, including assisting her dad with automotive maintenance. Skills that she learned growing up came in handy later in life as she tuned up family cars and repaired rental properties with her husband in her "retirement" job. In the last few decades of her life, she described how her parent's Christian faith remained steadfast through this terrible tragedy. Her father burned up the engine of his Whippet sedan driving to makeshift morgues set up in East Texas, in an effort to locate the bodies of his two daughters. Billie recalled observing the funerals of victims of the explosion where one family would be leaving a church building while another family was entering, with caskets moving up and down the steep stairs in front of a local church. Thanks to a special effort by her late sister, Sandra Florence, Billie's recollections about the New London School Explosion were included in Gone at 3:17: The Untold Story of the Worst School Disaster in American History, a book published in 2012. By God's grace, despite her family's hardship, pain, and loss, she emerged with a calling to pour her love into the life of her family over her lifetime.
Over her lifetime, Billie looked for opportunities to advance her knowledge and skills to help others. Her example helped to create the impetus for both of her children to finish college and become first generation college graduates. All three of her grandchildren earned college degrees as well (associate, bachelors) — something she and Jack celebrated as an important achievement for each of them. In terms of her higher education, she earned a certificate in Office Skills from the Federal Institute in Tyler in 1950, a Diploma in Practical Nursing in 1977 from Jefferson Parish West Bank Vocational-Technical School (La.), and an Associate Degree in Nursing (R.N.) from Nichols State University (La.) in 1983.
She resided in both Texas and Louisiana. She grew up in East Texas and graduated from Overton High School in 1946. She married her husband, Jack, at First Baptist Church, Turnertown on December 30, 1952. She and Jack also lived in Houston and Gretna, Louisiana during Jack's long career with Shell. They moved to Tyler in 1991 after Jack's retirement. After Jack passed away, she moved to Nacogdoches in 2010 to be closer to her son and his family.
Her work history included what she considered the most important work role of all: raising her two children as a full-time stay-at-home mom. Her other jobs from 1946-1960 included office work at Overton High School, the Cotton Belt Railroad in Tyler, Shell Oil Company (Kilgore) and East Texas Saltwater (Kilgore). When she married in 1952, she had to quit her job with Shell due to prohibitions against married co-workers. After her husband was transferred to Houston in 1960 with Shell, she seized the opportunity to assume the role of full-time mom to her two children, and worked part-time selling Avon products. She received several awards for her sales production.
While living in the New Orleans area, she worked as support staff for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Harvey Lock. After completing her nursing degrees, she worked as a nurse in the New Orleans area in various capacities, including at West Jefferson Hospital. After her husband's retirement, they moved to Tyler to co-manage a family business, Watson Rentals. While managing rental property was not her cup of tea, she poured herself into the business started by her mother-in-law, in collaboration with her husband. Her work pursuits always reflected a concern with taking care of the needs of her family first. If she needed to step away from work to meet a need in her family, she never hesitated to do so. She always did more than the job required, and expressed care and concern for her co-workers, a workplace skill worth emulating by the younger generation.
She was preceded in death by her father, Bill "Shorty" Anderson, her mother, Lola Schneider Anderson, her sisters, Lillian and Allene Anderson (killed in the New London School Explosion in 1937), Edith Ramsey, Sandra Florence, and brother Bob Anderson. She is survived by her son, J.B. Watson, Jr. and wife Rita, and her daughter, Penny Rivette. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Trey Watson and wife Lauren, Mary Tyler, and husband Josh, and Sarah Rivette; great grandchildren —Jackson Watson, Addy Watson, Abigail Tyler, Julia Tyler, Susanna Tyler, and Eden Watson; several nieces and a nephew and other family and friends.
She was a lifelong Southern Baptist with "Bapticostal" leanings, and a member of First Baptist Church, Nacogdoches. Most importantly, her life was a living example of Ephesians 4:32 — "And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ."
Her family would like to express special appreciation to Mary Jo Lees and her exceptional staff at the Arbor, especially in Memory Care, Dr. Kirk Fearing, and Dr. Philip LaBarbara & staff.
Her family and friends will gather for a graveside service on Tuesday, June 2nd at 10 am Cathedral in the Pines Cemetery in Tyler, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pleasant Hill Cemetery Association, 580 Hargis Dr. - New London, Overton, Texas 75684 for the upkeep of the cemetery where a number of victims of the New London School Explosion are buried, including her 2 older sisters, Lillian & Allene
Billie Marie Anderson Watson died on May 29th at 89 years of age, after walking the crooked path of dementia but holding tightly to the kindness of Jesus at every turn. She was also a cancer survivor. On the straight paths of her life, she always looked for opportunities to reflect the kindness of Jesus. Her servant's heart was directed towards her family and to others who needed love, support, and prayer. She sacrificially devoted herself to the needs of her husband and her two children. She enjoyed the good times with each of them, and when they experienced difficulties, she stood in the gap with them. She and her husband were married for 55 years, and she worked diligently to support him in maintaining a general level of daily wellness despite a severe asthmatic condition. This experience perhaps inspired her to become a nurse in mid-life. As a devoted Christian mother, she sacrificially placed the needs of her children first, including taking them to church regularly and modeling Christian servanthood to them on a daily basis. When her elementary school-age son suffered a serious head injury that precipitated a form of epilepsy, she dutifully took him to regular neurological checkups at the Blue Bird Clinic at Houston Methodist Hospital. Over her lifetime, there were many other acts of service to her family. Her model of Christian obedience and servanthood is worthy of emulation and will reverberate for generations in the lives of her family and friends. Her life is a reminder that simple daily acts of care and concern can change lives.
She was born in Corsicana, Texas to Bill "Shorty" Anderson and Lola Schneider Anderson on September 6th, 1930. Both a granddaughter, Sarah & a great granddaughter, Abigail, share her birth date. Her dad was a roustabout in the East Texas oil fields, and his job took his family to London, Texas (now New London), before the family moved later to the Old Meico community near Overton. She attended London School in the first grade. On the day of the New London School explosion, March 18, 1937, she was to meet her two older sisters, Lillian and Allene, inside the school building near an exit, to ride home with them at the end of the school day. A classmate, however, asked her to step outside of the building to play jacks, technically disobeying her mother's instructions to wait for her sisters inside. Her classmate won the first game, and Billie asked her to play again near the time the explosion occurred. Both of her sisters were killed in the explosion, but she survived. By God's Providence, her family history changed as the result of playing jacks with a friend outside the building. As a result of this tragedy where nearly 300 children, PTA guests, and school staff died in the newly constructed school, Billie became the oldest child in her family. As Billie grew up, her parents counted on her for help in caring for the family and her younger siblings, Edith, Sandra, and Bob. She willingly helped with household chores, including assisting her dad with automotive maintenance. Skills that she learned growing up came in handy later in life as she tuned up family cars and repaired rental properties with her husband in her "retirement" job. In the last few decades of her life, she described how her parent's Christian faith remained steadfast through this terrible tragedy. Her father burned up the engine of his Whippet sedan driving to makeshift morgues set up in East Texas, in an effort to locate the bodies of his two daughters. Billie recalled observing the funerals of victims of the explosion where one family would be leaving a church building while another family was entering, with caskets moving up and down the steep stairs in front of a local church. Thanks to a special effort by her late sister, Sandra Florence, Billie's recollections about the New London School Explosion were included in Gone at 3:17: The Untold Story of the Worst School Disaster in American History, a book published in 2012. By God's grace, despite her family's hardship, pain, and loss, she emerged with a calling to pour her love into the life of her family over her lifetime.
Over her lifetime, Billie looked for opportunities to advance her knowledge and skills to help others. Her example helped to create the impetus for both of her children to finish college and become first generation college graduates. All three of her grandchildren earned college degrees as well (associate, bachelors) — something she and Jack celebrated as an important achievement for each of them. In terms of her higher education, she earned a certificate in Office Skills from the Federal Institute in Tyler in 1950, a Diploma in Practical Nursing in 1977 from Jefferson Parish West Bank Vocational-Technical School (La.), and an Associate Degree in Nursing (R.N.) from Nichols State University (La.) in 1983.
She resided in both Texas and Louisiana. She grew up in East Texas and graduated from Overton High School in 1946. She married her husband, Jack, at First Baptist Church, Turnertown on December 30, 1952. She and Jack also lived in Houston and Gretna, Louisiana during Jack's long career with Shell. They moved to Tyler in 1991 after Jack's retirement. After Jack passed away, she moved to Nacogdoches in 2010 to be closer to her son and his family.
Her work history included what she considered the most important work role of all: raising her two children as a full-time stay-at-home mom. Her other jobs from 1946-1960 included office work at Overton High School, the Cotton Belt Railroad in Tyler, Shell Oil Company (Kilgore) and East Texas Saltwater (Kilgore). When she married in 1952, she had to quit her job with Shell due to prohibitions against married co-workers. After her husband was transferred to Houston in 1960 with Shell, she seized the opportunity to assume the role of full-time mom to her two children, and worked part-time selling Avon products. She received several awards for her sales production.
While living in the New Orleans area, she worked as support staff for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Harvey Lock. After completing her nursing degrees, she worked as a nurse in the New Orleans area in various capacities, including at West Jefferson Hospital. After her husband's retirement, they moved to Tyler to co-manage a family business, Watson Rentals. While managing rental property was not her cup of tea, she poured herself into the business started by her mother-in-law, in collaboration with her husband. Her work pursuits always reflected a concern with taking care of the needs of her family first. If she needed to step away from work to meet a need in her family, she never hesitated to do so. She always did more than the job required, and expressed care and concern for her co-workers, a workplace skill worth emulating by the younger generation.
She was preceded in death by her father, Bill "Shorty" Anderson, her mother, Lola Schneider Anderson, her sisters, Lillian and Allene Anderson (killed in the New London School Explosion in 1937), Edith Ramsey, Sandra Florence, and brother Bob Anderson. She is survived by her son, J.B. Watson, Jr. and wife Rita, and her daughter, Penny Rivette. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Trey Watson and wife Lauren, Mary Tyler, and husband Josh, and Sarah Rivette; great grandchildren —Jackson Watson, Addy Watson, Abigail Tyler, Julia Tyler, Susanna Tyler, and Eden Watson; several nieces and a nephew and other family and friends.
She was a lifelong Southern Baptist with "Bapticostal" leanings, and a member of First Baptist Church, Nacogdoches. Most importantly, her life was a living example of Ephesians 4:32 — "And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ."
Her family would like to express special appreciation to Mary Jo Lees and her exceptional staff at the Arbor, especially in Memory Care, Dr. Kirk Fearing, and Dr. Philip LaBarbara & staff.
Her family and friends will gather for a graveside service on Tuesday, June 2nd at 10 am Cathedral in the Pines Cemetery in Tyler, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pleasant Hill Cemetery Association, 580 Hargis Dr. - New London, Overton, Texas 75684 for the upkeep of the cemetery where a number of victims of the New London School Explosion are buried, including her 2 older sisters, Lillian & Allene
BILLIE'S OBITUARY
Billie Marie Anderson Watson died on May 29th at 89 years of age, after walking the crooked path of dementia but holding tightly to the kindness of Jesus at every turn. She was also a cancer survivor. On the straight paths of her life, she always looked for opportunities to reflect the kindness of Jesus. Her servant's heart was directed towards her family and to others who needed love, support, and prayer. She sacrificially devoted herself to the needs of her husband and her two children. She enjoyed the good times with each of them, and when they experienced difficulties, she stood in the gap with them. She and her husband were married for 55 years, and she worked diligently to support him in maintaining a general level of daily wellness despite a severe asthmatic condition. This experience perhaps inspired her to become a nurse in mid-life. As a devoted Christian mother, she sacrificially placed the needs of her children first, including taking them to church regularly and modeling Christian servanthood to them on a daily basis. When her elementary school-age son suffered a serious head injury that precipitated a form of epilepsy, she dutifully took him to regular neurological checkups at the Blue Bird Clinic at Houston Methodist Hospital. Over her lifetime, there were many other acts of service to her family. Her model of Christian obedience and servanthood is worthy of emulation and will reverberate for generations in the lives of her family and friends. Her life is a reminder that simple daily acts of care and concern can change lives.
She was born in Corsicana, Texas to Bill "Shorty" Anderson and Lola Schneider Anderson on September 6th, 1930. Both a granddaughter, Sarah & a great granddaughter, Abigail, share her birth date. Her dad was a roustabout in the East Texas oil fields, and his job took his family to London, Texas (now New London), before the family moved later to the Old Meico community near Overton. She attended London School in the first grade. On the day of the New London School explosion, March 18, 1937, she was to meet her two older sisters, Lillian and Allene, inside the school building near an exit, to ride home with them at the end of the school day. A classmate, however, asked her to step outside of the building to play jacks, technically disobeying her mother's instructions to wait for her sisters inside. Her classmate won the first game, and Billie asked her to play again near the time the explosion occurred. Both of her sisters were killed in the explosion, but she survived. By God's Providence, her family history changed as the result of playing jacks with a friend outside the building. As a result of this tragedy where nearly 300 children, PTA guests, and school staff died in the newly constructed school, Billie became the oldest child in her family. As Billie grew up, her parents counted on her for help in caring for the family and her younger siblings, Edith, Sandra, and Bob. She willingly helped with household chores, including assisting her dad with automotive maintenance. Skills that she learned growing up came in handy later in life as she tuned up family cars and repaired rental properties with her husband in her "retirement" job. In the last few decades of her life, she described how her parent's Christian faith remained steadfast through this terrible tragedy. Her father burned up the engine of his Whippet sedan driving to makeshift morgues set up in East Texas, in an effort to locate the bodies of his two daughters. Billie recalled observing the funerals of victims of the explosion where one family would be leaving a church building while another family was entering, with caskets moving up and down the steep stairs in front of a local church. Thanks to a special effort by her late sister, Sandra Florence, Billie's recollections about the New London School Explosion were included in Gone at 3:17: The Untold Story of the Worst School Disaster in American History, a book published in 2012. By God's grace, despite her family's hardship, pain, and loss, she emerged with a calling to pour her love into the life of her family over her lifetime.
Over her lifetime, Billie looked for opportunities to advance her knowledge and skills to help others. Her example helped to create the impetus for both of her children to finish college and become first generation college graduates. All three of her grandchildren earned college degrees as well (associate, bachelors) — something she and Jack celebrated as an important achievement for each of them. In terms of her higher education, she earned a certificate in Office Skills from the Federal Institute in Tyler in 1950, a Diploma in Practical Nursing in 1977 from Jefferson Parish West Bank Vocational-Technical School (La.), and an Associate Degree in Nursing (R.N.) from Nichols State University (La.) in 1983.
She resided in both Texas and Louisiana. She grew up in East Texas and graduated from Overton High School in 1946. She married her husband, Jack, at First Baptist Church, Turnertown on December 30, 1952. She and Jack also lived in Houston and Gretna, Louisiana during Jack's long career with Shell. They moved to Tyler in 1991 after Jack's retirement. After Jack passed away, she moved to Nacogdoches in 2010 to be closer to her son and his family.
Her work history included what she considered the most important work role of all: raising her two children as a full-time stay-at-home mom. Her other jobs from 1946-1960 included office work at Overton High School, the Cotton Belt Railroad in Tyler, Shell Oil Company (Kilgore) and East Texas Saltwater (Kilgore). When she married in 1952, she had to quit her job with Shell due to prohibitions against married co-workers. After her husband was transferred to Houston in 1960 with Shell, she seized the opportunity to assume the role of full-time mom to her two children, and worked part-time selling Avon products. She received several awards for her sales production.
While living in the New Orleans area, she worked as support staff for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Harvey Lock. After completing her nursing degrees, she worked as a nurse in the New Orleans area in various capacities, including at West Jefferson Hospital. After her husband's retirement, they moved to Tyler to co-manage a family business, Watson Rentals. While managing rental property was not her cup of tea, she poured herself into the business started by her mother-in-law, in collaboration with her husband. Her work pursuits always reflected a concern with taking care of the needs of her family first. If she needed to step away from work to meet a need in her family, she never hesitated to do so. She always did more than the job required, and expressed care and concern for her co-workers, a workplace skill worth emulating by the younger generation.
She was preceded in death by her father, Bill "Shorty" Anderson, her mother, Lola Schneider Anderson, her sisters, Lillian and Allene Anderson (killed in the New London School Explosion in 1937), Edith Ramsey, Sandra Florence, and brother Bob Anderson. She is survived by her son, J.B. Watson, Jr. and wife Rita, and her daughter, Penny Rivette. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Trey Watson and wife Lauren, Mary Tyler, and husband Josh, and Sarah Rivette; great grandchildren —Jackson Watson, Addy Watson, Abigail Tyler, Julia Tyler, Susanna Tyler, and Eden Watson; several nieces and a nephew and other family and friends.
She was a lifelong Southern Baptist with "Bapticostal" leanings, and a member of First Baptist Church, Nacogdoches. Most importantly, her life was a living example of Ephesians 4:32 — "And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ."
Her family would like to express special appreciation to Mary Jo Lees and her exceptional staff at the Arbor, especially in Memory Care, Dr. Kirk Fearing, and Dr. Philip LaBarbara & staff.
Her family and friends will gather for a graveside service on Tuesday, June 2nd at 10 am Cathedral in the Pines Cemetery in Tyler, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pleasant Hill Cemetery Association, 580 Hargis Dr. - New London, Overton, Texas 75684 for the upkeep of the cemetery where a number of victims of the New London School Explosion are buried, including her 2 older sisters, Lillian & Allene
Billie Marie Anderson Watson died on May 29th at 89 years of age, after walking the crooked path of dementia but holding tightly to the kindness of Jesus at every turn. She was also a cancer survivor. On the straight paths of her life, she always looked for opportunities to reflect the kindness of Jesus. Her servant's heart was directed towards her family and to others who needed love, support, and prayer. She sacrificially devoted herself to the needs of her husband and her two children. She enjoyed the good times with each of them, and when they experienced difficulties, she stood in the gap with them. She and her husband were married for 55 years, and she worked diligently to support him in maintaining a general level of daily wellness despite a severe asthmatic condition. This experience perhaps inspired her to become a nurse in mid-life. As a devoted Christian mother, she sacrificially placed the needs of her children first, including taking them to church regularly and modeling Christian servanthood to them on a daily basis. When her elementary school-age son suffered a serious head injury that precipitated a form of epilepsy, she dutifully took him to regular neurological checkups at the Blue Bird Clinic at Houston Methodist Hospital. Over her lifetime, there were many other acts of service to her family. Her model of Christian obedience and servanthood is worthy of emulation and will reverberate for generations in the lives of her family and friends. Her life is a reminder that simple daily acts of care and concern can change lives.
She was born in Corsicana, Texas to Bill "Shorty" Anderson and Lola Schneider Anderson on September 6th, 1930. Both a granddaughter, Sarah & a great granddaughter, Abigail, share her birth date. Her dad was a roustabout in the East Texas oil fields, and his job took his family to London, Texas (now New London), before the family moved later to the Old Meico community near Overton. She attended London School in the first grade. On the day of the New London School explosion, March 18, 1937, she was to meet her two older sisters, Lillian and Allene, inside the school building near an exit, to ride home with them at the end of the school day. A classmate, however, asked her to step outside of the building to play jacks, technically disobeying her mother's instructions to wait for her sisters inside. Her classmate won the first game, and Billie asked her to play again near the time the explosion occurred. Both of her sisters were killed in the explosion, but she survived. By God's Providence, her family history changed as the result of playing jacks with a friend outside the building. As a result of this tragedy where nearly 300 children, PTA guests, and school staff died in the newly constructed school, Billie became the oldest child in her family. As Billie grew up, her parents counted on her for help in caring for the family and her younger siblings, Edith, Sandra, and Bob. She willingly helped with household chores, including assisting her dad with automotive maintenance. Skills that she learned growing up came in handy later in life as she tuned up family cars and repaired rental properties with her husband in her "retirement" job. In the last few decades of her life, she described how her parent's Christian faith remained steadfast through this terrible tragedy. Her father burned up the engine of his Whippet sedan driving to makeshift morgues set up in East Texas, in an effort to locate the bodies of his two daughters. Billie recalled observing the funerals of victims of the explosion where one family would be leaving a church building while another family was entering, with caskets moving up and down the steep stairs in front of a local church. Thanks to a special effort by her late sister, Sandra Florence, Billie's recollections about the New London School Explosion were included in Gone at 3:17: The Untold Story of the Worst School Disaster in American History, a book published in 2012. By God's grace, despite her family's hardship, pain, and loss, she emerged with a calling to pour her love into the life of her family over her lifetime.
Over her lifetime, Billie looked for opportunities to advance her knowledge and skills to help others. Her example helped to create the impetus for both of her children to finish college and become first generation college graduates. All three of her grandchildren earned college degrees as well (associate, bachelors) — something she and Jack celebrated as an important achievement for each of them. In terms of her higher education, she earned a certificate in Office Skills from the Federal Institute in Tyler in 1950, a Diploma in Practical Nursing in 1977 from Jefferson Parish West Bank Vocational-Technical School (La.), and an Associate Degree in Nursing (R.N.) from Nichols State University (La.) in 1983.
She resided in both Texas and Louisiana. She grew up in East Texas and graduated from Overton High School in 1946. She married her husband, Jack, at First Baptist Church, Turnertown on December 30, 1952. She and Jack also lived in Houston and Gretna, Louisiana during Jack's long career with Shell. They moved to Tyler in 1991 after Jack's retirement. After Jack passed away, she moved to Nacogdoches in 2010 to be closer to her son and his family.
Her work history included what she considered the most important work role of all: raising her two children as a full-time stay-at-home mom. Her other jobs from 1946-1960 included office work at Overton High School, the Cotton Belt Railroad in Tyler, Shell Oil Company (Kilgore) and East Texas Saltwater (Kilgore). When she married in 1952, she had to quit her job with Shell due to prohibitions against married co-workers. After her husband was transferred to Houston in 1960 with Shell, she seized the opportunity to assume the role of full-time mom to her two children, and worked part-time selling Avon products. She received several awards for her sales production.
While living in the New Orleans area, she worked as support staff for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Harvey Lock. After completing her nursing degrees, she worked as a nurse in the New Orleans area in various capacities, including at West Jefferson Hospital. After her husband's retirement, they moved to Tyler to co-manage a family business, Watson Rentals. While managing rental property was not her cup of tea, she poured herself into the business started by her mother-in-law, in collaboration with her husband. Her work pursuits always reflected a concern with taking care of the needs of her family first. If she needed to step away from work to meet a need in her family, she never hesitated to do so. She always did more than the job required, and expressed care and concern for her co-workers, a workplace skill worth emulating by the younger generation.
She was preceded in death by her father, Bill "Shorty" Anderson, her mother, Lola Schneider Anderson, her sisters, Lillian and Allene Anderson (killed in the New London School Explosion in 1937), Edith Ramsey, Sandra Florence, and brother Bob Anderson. She is survived by her son, J.B. Watson, Jr. and wife Rita, and her daughter, Penny Rivette. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Trey Watson and wife Lauren, Mary Tyler, and husband Josh, and Sarah Rivette; great grandchildren —Jackson Watson, Addy Watson, Abigail Tyler, Julia Tyler, Susanna Tyler, and Eden Watson; several nieces and a nephew and other family and friends.
She was a lifelong Southern Baptist with "Bapticostal" leanings, and a member of First Baptist Church, Nacogdoches. Most importantly, her life was a living example of Ephesians 4:32 — "And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ."
Her family would like to express special appreciation to Mary Jo Lees and her exceptional staff at the Arbor, especially in Memory Care, Dr. Kirk Fearing, and Dr. Philip LaBarbara & staff.
Her family and friends will gather for a graveside service on Tuesday, June 2nd at 10 am Cathedral in the Pines Cemetery in Tyler, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pleasant Hill Cemetery Association, 580 Hargis Dr. - New London, Overton, Texas 75684 for the upkeep of the cemetery where a number of victims of the New London School Explosion are buried, including her 2 older sisters, Lillian & Allene
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