Mrs. Marie D. Watson, 85, of Ocilla, died Friday, October 16, 2009 at her residence.
Funeral Services will be held 2 P.M. Monday, October 19 at the Ocilla Church of God with Rev. Clayton Dowd and Rev. Kenny Croft officiating. Pallbearers are: Johnny Troupe, Jimmy Dillard, Andy Harper, Earl Bagley, Kyle Paulk and Bill Paulk. Interment will follow in Turner Church Cemetery, Tift County. Visitation will be held 6-8 Sunday evening at the funeral home in Ocilla.
Mrs. Watson was born August 5, 1924 in Tift County to the late Henry and Nettie Coker Dillard. She lived in the community for almost fifty years from Tifton. Mrs. Watson was a former Aide and Bus Driver for Sunnydale Training Center and she also served as a foster grandparent of Irwin County Headstart. Mrs. Watson will be remembered as the Christmas light lady, having decorated her house and hosting Santa Claus for many years. She was a faithful member of the Ocilla Church of God for close to 50 years, where she taught children’s Sunday school for over 25 years and sang in the choir.
She is survived by her children, Ernestine Cosper of Tifton, Shirley (Robert) Averitt and Dwinnon Sikes (Carol Miller) all of Alapaha, Donald (Dinah) Watson of Fitzgerald, Sue (Charles) Mitchell of Hartsville, SC, Dale Watson of Ocilla and Vicky (Mike) Tucker of Pace, FL; son-in-law, Glen Walker of Tifton; 19 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren and 15 great great grandchildren as well as several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Chester Watson, son, James Henry Watson, daughter, Peggy Watson Walker, grandchildren, Ronald Walker, Cindy Walker, Sherrie Evans and Dawn Watson, 1 brother and 6 sisters.