Sarah Elizabeth Watson

Sarah Elizabeth Watson died at St. Luke's Hospital at 4:15 p.m. on March 22, 2005. Sallie was born May 13, 1923, in Kansas City, daughter of William Searcy Ridge and Elizabeth Sturges Ridge, and attended the Barstow School. An enthusiastic horsewoman, she competed in the American Royal. After attending Skidmore College, Sallie graduated from the University of Missouri, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and homecoming queen. In 1945, she met and married the love of her life, Raymond Etheridge Watson, Jr. Sallie inherited a strong belief in community involvement from her father, and was an active and sustaining member of the Junior League of Kansas City, MO, a volunteer for the Children's Relief Association of Children's Mercy Hospital, and chairman of the Mission Hills Beautification Committee. Proud of her family heritage, she was a member and President of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America. She was an avid gardener, and a member and president of the Westport Garden Club. Sallie loved her summers at Walloon Lake, MI, spending her time fishing, needle pointing, doing puzzles, and successfully teaching her sons mahjongg. However, she lost great sums of pennies in bridge. An excellent driver, Sallie never received a moving violation. She was a bird lover, a voracious reader, a creative, visual lady of great class and style. Above all, Sallie was a wonderful mother and a good friend. Genuinely interested in people, her keen sense of humor endeared her to many, young and old. Her dignity and grace will always be remembered. She was preceded in death by Ray, her husband of over 50 years, and is survived by her three sons, Raymond Etheridge Watson, III, Thomas Sturges Watson, and John Marshall Watson and their spouses, Dtim, Hilary, and Paul; her brother Frank Ridge and his wife Joan; her sister-in-law Marie Bell Watson O'Hara and her husband Jack; three grandchildren, Benjamin Watson, Margaret Watson, and Michael Watson; nephews Bill Ridge, Tom O'Hara, David O'Hara, and niece Betsy Fountain. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 26 at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, 13th and Broadway, Kansas City, MO. A gathering of friends and family will be held immediately following in the Common Room at the Cathedral. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Grace and Holy Trinity Discretionary Fund or the Westport Garden Club. Arrangements are by D.W. Newcomer's Sons Stine & McClure Chapel, 913-931-7777.