DR. RICHARD ALLAN WATSON

1931 - 2019

WATSON, Dr. Richard Allan Known to his friends and colleagues as Red, died peacefully on September 18, 2019. He was 88 years old. Watson was an eclectic scholar whose contributions to several academic disciplines will have lasting significance. He is universally recognized as one of the leading scholars of 17th century French philosophy, and published a penetrating biography entitled Cogito, Ergo Sum: The Life of Rene Descartes, which was chosen by the New York Public Library as one of the "25 Books to Remember from 2002." Watson taught for most of his long career at Washington University in St. Louis, where he was known as a demanding, yet approachable teacher. He was also instrumental in transforming the "sport" of cave exploration into a recognized field of archaeology and geological science. His book, The Longest Cave, details some of these adventures. Red is survived by his wife of 64 years, Patty Jo Watson, his daughter Anna M. Watson and her wife Laurie L. Caldwell; by his two beloved grandsons, Riley K.S. Watson and Liam M.S. Watson; by his sister, Constance A. Moehle, and by his brother and sister-in-law James L. and Rubie Watson. He will also be missed by his many relatives, former students, colleagues, and cavers. Services will be held at DeVito Funeral Home in ARLINGTON, MA on Friday, September 27, 2019 at 11am. An extended obituary appears on their website. In Red's memory, please consider making a donation to any local organization involved in alleviating food insecurity such as Boston Area Gleaners or Food For Free; or to the Cave Research Foundation.