Jennie D [Hungerford] Watt 1912-2010

HUNGERFORD, WATT, SHOUSE, BROWN, MCDONALD, MCHONEY, BOYLES, FOUNTAIN, BUSSEY, PITTMAN, COX, ALBERS, RORABAUGH, JADE

Posted By: Curtis (email)
Date: 8/27/2010 at 09:28:33

DEATH NOTICE:

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa August 18, 2010)

WATT, JENNIE D., 98, of Lamoni, Iowa, died Thursday August 5, 2010 at the Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Lamoni, Iowa. Memorial Services were Tuesday August 10, 2010, at 10:30 a.m. at the Community of Christ in Lamoni with Les Gardner and Marie Hawley officiating. Burial was in the Rose Hill Cemetery.

Obituary -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa August 18, 2010)

JENNIE D. WATT ... Jennie D. Watt, age 98 of Lamoni, Iowa, was born January 12, 1912, in the country home of her parents, Guy A. and Matilda [Smith] Hungerford in Linn County, Missouri (the Linn Center District near Brookfield). She died on Thursday, August 5, 2010 at the Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Lamoni, Iowa.

Jennie D was the third of five children. He siblings were Anna, born 1908, Hazel, born 1910, Fulton, born 1918, and Grace, born 1922. They all attended a one-room country schoolhouse through the elementary years. Jennie D (no period), nicknamed "Dee" graduated from the eighth grade in 1927, attended high school in Brookfield, graduating in 1931, with a certificate to teach. Following graduation she worked at Brown Shoe Factory in Brookfield and then at F.W. Woolworth. She was later recruited and after on-the-job training, became a dental assistant in 1933. She continued as a dental assistant until the fall of 1942, when she entered Civil Service employment. After a six-month course in Kansas City, Missouri, Dee was awarded a certificate as an Aircraft Communicator and a US Weather Bureau certificate to observe and report weather. Dee's first assignment as a civil servant was in Lamoni at the airport.

While living in Lamoni, she met and dated William "Bill" Watt. In the fall of 1943, she was reassigned to the airport at Rock Springs[rings, Wyoming. After much letter writing and receiving, she married Bill on March 4, 1944 in Rock Springs and moved to Lamoni to live with Bill and her new stepdaughters, Florice and Doris Elaine Watt. With this move, Dee transferred back to the Lamoni airport where she worked until she resigned in 1947.

In December 1949, Bill Watt bought the Globe-Free Press Newspaper and together with Dee, moved to Grand Junction, Iowa. They owned and operated the Globe for 28 years. During this time, Dee had many roles at the newspaper; manager of the photographic department, the bookkeeping, billing and collecting for the firm, secretary for the publisher, copy reader, proof reader, reporter, editor, and in the Job Shop. She learned to operated the Linotype, job presses, folder, and staple machines. The Globe converted the operation to offset in the early 1970's. With that conversion Dee learned to operated the compugraphic compositor. When Dee retired in 1978 at the age of 66, she had worked five different jobs, with seven employers, totaling 46 years in the work force. During this time, Dee had never applied for a job but had been recruited for each one.

Dee belonged to many organizations over the years including: Order of the Eastern Star, Rainbow Mother Advisor, Iowa Federation of Women's Clubs, Iowa Horticultural Society, PEO, Garden Club, United Methodist Women, Knitting Club, Birthday Club, and the Senior Citizens Group. In her teens Dee was a member of the Baptist Church and later the Disciples of Christ First Christian Church. In November 9165, she joined the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Ames, Iowa. Dee was a member at the Community of Christ Church in Lamoni.

Preceding her in death were her parents; husband of 52 years, Bill Watt; sisters, Anna Shouse and Hazel Brown; brother Fulton Hungerford; step grandson Bill McDonald; and step great granddaughter Christine McDonald Mahoney.

Survivors include her sister Grace Tate Boyles of Chillicothe, Missouri; step daughters Florice McDonald of Pearland, Texas and Doris Elaine Fountain and husband J. Mark of Lee's Summit, Missouri; step grand-children, Joyce & Russell Bussey of Pearland, Texas, Janice Fountaiin of Leawood, Kansas and Doug Fountain and partner Henry Pittman of Birmingham, Alabama; step great grandchildren, Melissa Ann Cox of Dallas, Texas, Laura and Aric Albers of Spring, Texas, and Anthony Drake Rorabaugh of Leawood, Kansas; step great, great grandchildren Alizabeth Jade and Aleaha Joy Albers of Spring[ring, Texas; many nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.

The family gives special thanks to the members of the Lamoni Community of Christ Church and the staff of the Lamoni Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.