Charles A. Watson II

1961 - 2018

Legendary local musician, Charles Alton Watson, II, 56, died Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at North Miss. Medical Center after a prolonged illness. Born October 16, 1961 in Newport, Arkansas to Charlie and Peggy Gardner Watson, he lived most all his life in Tupelo. He attended the Tupelo Public Schools and was a graduate of the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts. Charles was a master musician, a skilled violinist and stringed instrument player whose talents were highly sought by bands throughout the Mid-south and around the country. He played with such groups as Sonny Burgess and the Pacers, the Juby Johns and opened several times for George Jones and other renowned artists. Charles played in area Symphony Orchestras including Starkville, Germantown and made his Viola debut in the Tupelo Symphony Orchestra when only 13 years old. The Watson family was instrumental in starting the Strings Program in the Tupelo Schools. He was an inductee in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and played locally in several area churches and venues including helping found the music ministry at The Orchard. An avid outdoorsman, Charles greatly enjoyed deer hunting and fishing and was the owner of Gardner-Watson Taxidermy in Tupelo. He loved Elvis, animals especially dogs, all genres of music and being with friends and entertaining. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Tupelo.

A service celebrating his life will be held at 2 PM Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 at the Tupelo Chapel of Holland Funeral Directors with Rev. Will Rambo officiating. Burial will follow in Tupelo Memorial Park on Joyner St. Visitation will be from 4 PM-7PM today (Friday) and from 1 PM-service time on Saturday, all at Holland, Tupelo Chapel, which is honored to be serving their friends.

Charles is survived by his daughters, Mallori Watson McBryde (Michael) of Saltillo; Kaylie Watson of Tupelo and Loretta Cramer of Pontotoc; two grandchildren, Ella and Greyson; his parents, Charlie and Peggy Gardner Watson; his brother, Woody Watson (Traci), his sister, Kathy Brashears, his uncle, Gene Gardner (Donna) of Dallas and Aunts, Shirley Homan and Betty Tiernan both of Malvern, Ark.; nieces and nephews, Trey and Meg Brashears, Woody Watson and Brittany Rushing (Nathan) and special friends, Sallye Bain Stewart (Clay) and their families, along with a host of musician friends and associates from around the Country. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Woody and Kathryn Gardner and Ruby Mae Moore and Kenneth E. Watson.

Pallbearers will be Kent Randle, Kip Smith, Harris Magruder, Andy Soper, Dennis Nolan, Everett L. Wood, Terry Barnes and Jim Bain. Honorary Pallbearers will be The Legendary Pacers.

Memorials may be made to St Jude Children's Research Hospital, 252 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105 or to the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society, P. O. Box 1185, Tupelo, MS. 38802. The service may be viewed at www.hollandfuneraldirectors.com/Livestreaming. Condolences may be e mailed to hollandfuneraldirectors@comcast.net