William Jack Watson

ARTHUR - William Jack Watson, 89, of Arthur, IL formerly of Hot Springs, AR passed away at 12:40 P. M. on Monday, May 14, 2012 at the Arthur Home. Graveside funeral services with military rites conducted by the Atwood American Legion James Reeder Post 770 will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, May 30, 2012 at the Lake Fork Cemetery in rural Atwood. Rev. Dawn Ingram will officiate. The Edwards Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements. Jack was born on October 1, 1922 in Hot Springs, AR. He was the son of Dr. William Jackson and Emma (Rigsby) Watson. He married Fonda Laury in 1948. She passed away in 1980. He later married Anna Lois Summerlot on May 9, 1981 in Las Cruses, NM. He is survived by his wife Lois Watson of Arthur, IL; one daughter, Debbie Fay and her husband Brian of Atwood, IL; a son-in-law, Darryl Anderson of St. Louis, MO; three grandchildren, Brooke Hawryszkow and her husband Mark of St. Louis, MO, Monica Azhar and her husband Syed of Yorkville, IL, Bradley Fay of Tempe, AZ; five step-grandchildren, Shabbir Safdar and his wife Sara of San Francisco, CA, Zareena Koch and her husband Randy of Boyne Towne, MI, Sameena Kluck and her husband Tom of Washington DC, Wendy Ruona and her husband Brian of Lawrenceville, GA and Kirk Anderson and his fiancé Mine' of Rice, MN; sixteen great-grandchildren; one sister, Jackie Dyer of Little Rock, AR and two nieces Christy and Cindy of Little Rock, AR. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, and a daughter, Linda Anderson. Jack was an Army Air Corp Veteran of WWII where he served as a Ball Turret Gunner and received the Air Medal for flying in combat and two Air Force Accommodation Medals. He retired from the Air Force on July 1, 1965 as a Senior Master Sgt. After his military career he retired from White Sands Missile Range of El Paso, TX in 1979. He was a member of the Vine Street Christian Church in Arthur, IL Jack was an avid fisherman and he loved being a grandpa. Memorials may be made to Eberhardt Village for Project Patio or to the Vine Street Christian Church. Obituary written by family members. Online guest book at http://legacy.com/obituaries/herald-review/