Rick Watson, 69, passed away Thursday, July 16, 2020, at his residence in Empire.
Watson was a veteran, serving in the Army, an accomplished singer/songwriter, an author, a columnist, a newspaper reporter and a retired executive from BellSouth/AT&T. He was best known as a loving husband, brother and uncle.
Watson “lived the dream.”
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jr. Watson and Elwanda, and brothers, Darrin and Neil Watson.
Rick leaves behind his wife, Jilda, of 46 years; sisters, Mary Lois Capps and Christie Watson Reed (James); brothers-in-law, Ricky Phillips (Debbie), Lynn Harding (Gwyn), and Glen Harding (Shelia); sisters-in-law, Pat Greathouse, Laura Nell Howard (Woodie) and Edith Harding; along with a ton of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, and great-great-nieces and great-great–nephews, and far too many friends to count.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Watson’s first concern was to keep his wife safe because of several health issues, due to that fact, the funeral will be a private ceremony for family only Monday, July 20, 2020, at 2 p.m. at New Horizon in Dora.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks friends and loved ones to donate to scholarship funds for your local high schools, to programs that feed and help the needy and to organizations that help those in recovery. Watson would encourage all to be of service to your local community.
Watson never wanted anybody “walking slow and singing sad songs” about him, so the family is planning down the road to have a BIG celebration. At a later date, we will have that celebration for all his loving friends.
The family asks all to honor Watson’s memory in these simple ways: be kind, live the dream and support your local newspapers, schools, community and each other.