William “Bill” Denver Watson, 91, passed away in his Mesa, Arizona, home at 10:10 a.m. on Sunday, June 3, 2018. He was born in Georgetown, Kentucky, on August 12, 1926, to the late Willie Roy and Mary (Jones) Watson. On January 22, 1950, Bill married Nettie Elnora Miller, and they shared over 52 years together before she preceded him in death on September 18, 2002.
Bill was a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in the Philippines from 1944-46 during World War II. He received the Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon, and Philippine Independence Ribbon and was honorably discharged on November 27, 1946. In 1957, Bill began working at Fisher Body, where he was a material dispatcher. He retired in 1989 after 32 years of service. Following his retirement, he and Nettie moved to Mesa, Arizona, away from the snow of winter. They vacationed back to Indiana throughout his retirement years to visit family and friends.
He will be missed by his children, Mark Allen Watson, Wabash, Joyce Ann (Steven Carl) Weston, Mesa, Arizona, and Michael Leon Watson, Chandler, Arizona; 8 grandchildren, Christina Martin, Lisa, James, and Timothy Watson, and Brian, Kimberly, Thomas, and Greg Weston; 14 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and sisters-in-law, Marie Pierson and Rosalie Shaw.
In addition to his parents and loving wife, he was preceded in death by three brothers, four sisters, two grandchildren, Rosalie Rose and Kevin Weston; and granddaughter-in-law, Shawna Wallace-Watson.
The family will receive visitors from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with Bill’s funeral service beginning at 1 p.m. on Monday, June 11, 2018, at Needham-Storey-Wampner Funeral Service, North Chapel, 1341 N. Baldwin Ave., Marion, IN. Pastor Tim Webb will be officiating with burial following at Friends Cemetery in Wabash.
Memorial contributions may be directed to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675-8517.
Online condolences may be made at www.nswcares.com.