Watson, Mary Evelyn (Gray) 1934 - 2023
WATSON, GRAY, ROBINSON, NATH, JACOBSON, SIZER, BUTLER, BRAUSEY
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 16:07:26
Mary Evelyn Watson, age 89, passed from this life to her heavenly home on September 2, 2023.
Evelyn was born in Tama County, Iowa, on May 28, 1934, the second daughter of Warren and Mildred Gray. During her childhood, she moved with her family to several farmsteads in the Tama/Reinbeck area before settling in Howard County during her sophomore year of high school. Evelyn was a homecoming queen in her senior year. After graduating from Riceville High School, she spent a year working at Rath’s meat-packing plant in Waterloo, Iowa.
On September 7, 1953, Evelyn married Carrol Watson, her high school sweetheart. They raised their 5 children on the farm before moving to their earth home in the woods, where they spent the next 30 years together.
As a mom and farmer’s wife, Evelyn took great pride in a clean house, home-sewn clothes for her daughters, big gardens, and three home-cooked meals every day. Evelyn was always home to greet her children after school, often waiting for them with freshly baked cookies. Her cooking skills were especially enjoyed each Thanksgiving and Christmas as she hosted large family gatherings, and during haying season when she fed the “haying crew”.
After her older children were grown, Evelyn enjoyed working as a preschool teacher in Riceville for 10 years.
Evelyn had a great love of music. In addition to being a pianist, Evelyn sang in several cantatas in Osage and loved to join in singalongs with her mom and siblings/spouses at family gatherings. Mom also enjoyed gathering with family and playing the Watson’s favorite card game, “Up and Down the River”.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Carrol, her 2 sisters and their spouses (Elaine and Bob Robinson; Ardyth and Dick Nath), a sister-in-law and spouse (Elaine and Burdette Jacobson), and a brother-in-law (Bill Sizer). She is survived by her five children: Mike (Sheree) Watson of Charles City; Laurie Watson (Ibrahim Butler) of Winona, MN; Tom (Teresa) Watson of Saratoga; Tim Watson of Saratoga; and Jenny (Paul) Brausey of Spencer, IA. Evelyn also leaves behind 9 grandchildren (Cory, Nick, Joni, Maddy, Brandon, Joshua, Levi, David, and Crystal), 25 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild. Evelyn is also survived by her two brothers and their spouses (Howard and Rosemary Gray; Jim and Karen Gray), along with a sister-in-law, Shirley Sizer.
Lindstrom Funeral Home in Riceville is assisting with funeral arrangements. A funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 AM at Immaculate Conception Church in Riceville on Saturday, September 30, followed by burial in the Saratoga Cemetery. Per Evelyn's wishes, there will be no wake or visitation prior to the funeral. The family will be available to greet friends at the church before services begin. There will be an opportunity to share special memories at the luncheon afterwards.
Memorial donations are being directed to Riceville Family Care Center or St. Croix Hospice in Charles City.
Evelyn’s family wishes to thank the staff at Riceville Family Care for the quality care she received during her 10 months there. We are deeply grateful for the personal, individualized care provided to her and for the staff who embraced Mom’s “feistiness” with humor and compassion. The family also wishes to thank St. Croix Hospice with a special thanks to music therapist Mikayla, who brought joy to Mom’s final months.
Source: Lindstrom Funeral Home database
Saratoga Cemetery
Howard Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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