Mr. Anthony Michael Watson

The youngest of three children, Anthony Michael Watson was born July 20, 1988—after years of sweet-talking on the part of his father. Ron Watson, the proud father of two little girls, had long wanted a boy, too. Despite the precociousness of her daughters, Mom Anita was soon convinced to embark upon motherhood for a third time. Upon learning that they were soon to have a baby brother, Lisa (then 8) announced she was going to be “his mommy�; Julia (10) vowed she would be his best friend and insisted that they name him “Spike.� From the start, the three kids were close. Laughing and clowning around played a big part in the Watson household, a tradition carrying over from Mom and Dad, aunts and uncles, and grandparents, too. Anthony was shy as a boy, as he often was when meeting new folks as a man. But even as a little kid, those who knew and loved him best admired his big heart, his compassion, and his quick, hearty laugh. Anthony loved to laugh and to make others laugh. As a youngster fresh out of high school, he even considered taking to the stage as a stand-up comic. He loved watching comedies, especially shows like Family Guy, South Park and Metalocalypse—but he loved watching this kind of stuff with friends and family and having a laugh with the gang even more. He had his share of challenges. Diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, as well as ADHD, Anthony struggled as a youngster to make new friends and sit still. But his differences brought their share of gifts, too—including a remarkable ability to hone in and hyperfocus on the things he loved, something you learned a hefty respect for if you ever had the opportunity to have your butt kicked by him at Guitar Hero. As he grew into manhood, Anthony developed a love of philosophy and politics. A staunch and passionate libertarian, he quickly found his way to the center of any discussion about current events. If you didn’t know him well, if you only ever heard him argue passionately about the price of war or the urgency of social justice issues, you may be surprised to hear him described as shy—but he was. His love of politics and of debate allowed him to overcome his shyness and his own sense of feeling like an outsider. The week he passed away, he was reading several books, most of them about philosophy, religion and the nature of faith—and one more, They Call Me Baba Booey, the memoir of the comedian sidekick of shock jock Howard Stern. Anthony was a thinker, a dreamer, an artist, and a philosopher; a son, brother, uncle, nephew, and grandson; he was a sometimes contrarian, a frequent jokester, and a consummate goofball. He will be loved, he will be missed—always.