Mrs.Eleanor Watson

Eleanor Jean Stringer Watson was born August 8, 1953, to the   union of Foyer and Katie Stringer in Dothan, Alabama. She is the third of five children, the middle child. The family moved to Miami for work and opportunity, and they prospered like many families of that era. Education was the family keystone. Eleanor gave her life to Jesus Christ at an early age at First Baptist Church of Bunche Park. She later moved her membership to New Way Fellowship Church where she raised her sons up in the faith. Her favorite scriptures included Psalms 23, 35, and the Lord’s Prayer.

Eleanor met James Edward Watson at North Dade Junior High School and they later married (1978) and together they birthed Jermaine  Elliott, and Jarrod Elgin. She completed grade school at Bunche Park Elementary, She graduated from Miami Carol City High School in 1971, from Miami-Dade College; she attended Florida State University and graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in Speech Education. She also attended Barry University completing Education Leadership courses. Eleanor was a proud Girl Scout at First Baptist of Bunche Park becoming a Cadet Scout.

Eleanor became a Language Arts teacher at Miami Edison Middle School in 1980 where she worked for many years. She also worked at Horace Mann Middle School, and she retired from Nautilus Middle School in 2015 after 36 years of teaching. She was a department head, and her students routinely had the highest test scores in the department. She taught poetry by Langston Hughes, Edgar Allen Poe, she loved Greek Mythology, sponsored the yearbook and a Black History bowl among other special activities.

Eleanor was a teacher’s teacher. Eleanor knew she wanted to be a teacher since she was in first grade. She was a consummate professional educator modeling her former teachers in classroom management, attire, and discipline.

During her career, she taught over 360,000 students (excluding summer school) to love reading and writing especially via journals. Their children have benefitted from what she taught their parents so her legacy lives on in the lives of countless families across Miami-Dade and throughout the world. All because she cared and gave and loved teaching.

Eleanor and James dated from junior high through college until they married and had two sons. And oh, how she loved her sons pouring love, prayer, and encouragement into them daily. She often told them “Can’t” is not a word and they had to pray before getting out of the car for school every day. Each son got a special part of their mom that was just between them. No matter where life took them, she was always in touch with her sons. She carried herself with poise and dignity. If you knew Eleanor, you knew she was private and quiet but when she spoke people listened. In the family we said, “she never started anything, but she could end it.”

She is survived by her husband, James Watson, her sons; Jermaine Watson, and Jarrod Watson; granddaughters; Brooklyn Watson and Julianna Watson; sisters Sydney Johnson, Amelia Gowdy (John), nieces; Marsha Maldonado, Heather Johnson and Jamila Gowdy, nephew; Perrin Johnson. She is preceded in heaven by her parents Foyer and Katie Stringer, brother; Billy David Stringer, sister; Barbara Kay Harris.