Helen Rita Watson

Helen Rita Watson, age 87, of Valrico, Florida passed away on Saturday, January 11, 2025. Helen was born in Paramaribo, Suriname. The daughter of Eduard "W.A" Malm and Alice M. Wolff, was an adventurous and courageous young lady having gone from Suriname to Holland and on to the United States in 1959 and 1960. That courage gave her family the ability to live and flourish in America. Our family is grateful for our life experiences, the opportunities afforded to us and how our lives have evolved under her guidance.
Helen is preceded in death by her husband, Wallace P Watson, her father Eduard, her mother Alice, her brother John and nephew Etienne. She is survived by her son, Ruben (Michael) with his wife Elsje, her daughter Jennifer and her son Alain with his wife Jenny. Helen is also survived by her grandchildren Jacquelynn with her husband Neal, Garrett with his fiance Annie and their son Theodore, Dylan with his partner Allison and their children Lanah and Luc, Geena-Maria with her husband Gervaldo, Kelsey and Alexa. She is also survived by numerous nephews and nieces.
Helen worked her entire life to help support her family with both full and part-time jobs, primarily in the administrative arena including as the Secretary to the General Counsel of Suriname of the United Nations, General Foods and other companies.
Helen was known as the matriarch of the Watson Family having developed and maintained permanent relationships with everyone in our large family in America, Suriname and the Netherlands. Everyone was welcome to her home no matter who you were. Her passing leaves great sadness within the family. Helen will be greatly missed by all of us.
Helen's funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, January 22nd at 11 AM ET at Nativity Catholic Church in Brandon, FL. She will be laid to rest in Limona Cemetery in Brandon FL, with her loving husband and both of her parents.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Nativity Catholic Church. Donations can be made at nativitycatholicchurch.org by selecting Giving, Online Giving and then Online Giving website. Choose any donation selection and designate the donation as going to the above recipient.
A visitation for Helen will be held 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at Hillsboro Memorial Funeral Home, 2323 West Brandon Boulevard, Brandon, Florida. A funeral mass will be celebrated 11 a.m. Wednesday, January 22, 2025 at Nativity Catholic Church, 705 East Brandon Boulevard, Brandon, Florida. Interment to follow in Limona Cemetery, 1678 Limona Road, Brandon, Florida.