WATSON, Elbert Minor

WATSON, MINOR, MILLER, TAYLOR, PRATT, WARINLONNECKER, SOBOTKA, ROBERTS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 10/11/2017 at 07:49:48

The Diagonal Reporter
Diagonal, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, October 26, 1967

OBITUARY ~ E. M. [ELBERT MINOR] WATSON
May 18, 1912 ~ October 22, 1967

In Death of E. M. Watson The Diagonal Community
Loses a Life-Long Friend

E. M. Watson, 55, ended his life Sunday evening, October 22 [1967], under circumstances indicating him to be a victim of depression. It may be a commentary on the times in which we live to note he is the third Iowa legislator to whom this tragedy has occurred since the close of the 1967 session.

While the greatest loss is to the members of the immediate family, the impact of this sad event is also felt over a wide area, in Ringgold County where he gave public service in many areas and especially in the field of education. His public career has also included serving in the Iowa House of Reporesentatives as a member or the Republican party.

An estimated 1500 persons were at the memorial service held Wednesday in the school auditorium in order to accomodate those who attended, plans having been made at first to hold the service in the Methodist Church.

While in recent years his activities had taken him more and more away from Diagonal, it was this town and this community, which his father had served so many years as a family physician, that was his first and continuing love. Often from his window, we saw him stand for minutes n the step of the First State Bank and look up and down main street as though he were seeing th town's people, past and present, pass in review. Our town will never have a more devoted friend.

LIFE HISTORY
E.M. Watson

Elbert Minor, only son of Dr. E. J. [Elbert Jay] and Della Minor Watson was born May 18, 1912 at Knowlton, Iowa in Ringgold county, and in 1918 moved with other members of the family to Diagonal. He departed this life Sunday, October 22, 1967, in the prime of life, at the age of 55 years, 5 months, and 11 days.

While studies and employment took him from Diagonal for a few years, this was always his beloved home town. He graduated from high school in 1930 having been both the delight and the despair of his instructors.

The friends he made in his boyhood days, as delivery boy for Dolecheck's Store and other handyman jobs were the first of countless friends made the years. He also worked as a clerk in the local postoffice.

Following graduation he attended Creston Junior College, Simpson College at Indianola, and the University of Iowa at Iowa City.

One July 8 ,1939 he was united in marriage with Alberta Miller of Paragould, Arkansas. Since that time they have made their home in Iowa, and in Diagonal since he moved his family here when he left to serve in the Navy [Phamacist 3rd Mate] during World War II.

He leaves his wife,Alberta, three daughters and three sons: Dixie, (Mrs. Jack Taylor) of Diagonal; Kay, (Mrs. Larry Pratt) of Maryville, Missouri; Ann, (Mrs. Bill Warin) of Iowa City, Iowa; Elbert Jay, Steven Paul, and Mark Irwin at home.

The family inclurdes five grandchildren: Darla, Karen, and James Taylor, Randy and Ricki Pratt, and three sons-in-law.

He is also survived by one sister, Olive, (Mrs. Gerald Lonnecker) of Creston, a niece (Jorene), Mrs. Eldon Sobotka, also of Creston, an uncle, Joe Minor of New Virginia, cousins and grand nieces.

He was preceded in death by his mother on June 6, 1956, his father, E. J. Watson, M.D. who practised (sic) for more than 50 years prior to his death on November 4, 1960, and by two sisters, Anna June, who died in infancy in 1905, and Hazel C., January 22, 1954.

His first concern was always his family; he took pride in their personalitites and achievements, was vigilant in their care, cautious in critism, prone to praise.

He was constant in care and in devotion to his parents, solicitous and helpful in their declining years.

He donated a great deal of concentrated effort and time to community causes, the problems of education, through various positions of responsibility. In business he served The First State Bank of Diagonal as president for the past five years, having been associated with the late M. L. Roberts in that institution for twenty years. He conducted an insurance business for the same length of time.

He served the first year of his two-year term as a member of the Iowa house of representatives, and was re-elected last month to a second term on the Area 14 board of education which operates Southwestern Community College.

His public service also included serving as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Ringgold County Hospital, as a member of the Ringgold County Extension Council, as diector of social welfare, and served on the Diagonal board of education.

He was an active member of the Diagonal Methodist Church, the Masonic Lodge, Lions International, and veterans organizations.

Over and above family and community obligations this man found time for the careful consideration of the problems of others, helping personally, often anonymously, those in need. He practised (sic) a rare maturity in forgiveness, tolerance, and absence of judgment in his relationships with his fellow men.

It is said, "No man is indispensable.", but those of us who grieve because he is gone from among us, and who deplore his tragic passing know no one who can take his place.

Memorial services were to have been held in the Methodist Church with plans being changed because of the need for more space, and were held in the auditorium of the Diagonal Community School which was filled to capacity.

The Rev. Paul A. Beymer of Cedarville, Michigan, a lifelong friend, assisted by the Rev. George McMullen, Methodist pastor, conducted the service.

Mrs. Harold Taylor was organist, and her daughter, Mrs. Charles Gifford, of King City, Missouri, sang "The Lord's Prayer" and "When You Come to the End of a Perfect Day."

Honorary casketbearers were D. E. Mitchell, M.D., and Grant Hayes of Mount Ayr;John Warin of Maloy; A. R. Sanderson of Shannon City; Bill Herron of Creston; Stanley Cregeen, Gene Gunsolley, and Tom Lininger of Diagonal.

Bearers were Corwin Bonebrake of College Park, Maryland; David Roberts of Clearwater, Florida; Dale Herrington of Mount Ayr; Jay Snyder, Velmer Stephens, and R. A. Beymer of Diagonal.

Interment was in the Diagonal Cemetery.

Photograph courtesy of beta.legis.state.ia.us/Legislators

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2017

Ringgold Obituaries maintained by Tony Mercer.
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