Janis Marie Watson

A Celebration of Life for Janis Marie Watson, 87, of North Little Rock, AR will be held on Saturday, December 27 at North Hills Baptist Church in Sherwood, AR. Visitation will be from 1:00 to 2:00 PM in the Worship Center with the service following, officiated by Jim Ward. A private internment will take place at Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery on a later date.

Janis was born in Herrin, IL on July 12, 1938, and died in North Little Rock, AR, Thursday, December 25, 2025. She grew up in McLeansboro, IL, where she graduated from McLeansboro High School. She then attended Oklahoma Baptist University (Shawnee, OK) where she earned a B.A. in Music Education,Vocal. While there she met Ronald Watson and they were married on September 4, 1960.

Janis came to faith in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age. She served as a church pianist in multiple churches, especially Bayou Meto Baptist Church (Jacksonville, AR). She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (Black Partridge Chapter). She was a lifelong teacher. She taught piano and served for more than 10 years as a Bible teacher at Abundant Life High School, where she was named teacher of the year in 2000–2001. Before Parkinson’s Disease inhibited her, she was an active member of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church (Little Rock, AR). In her last years, she joined North Hills Baptist Church.

Janis leaves a legacy of faith and faithfulness to Jesus Christ. She longed and labored to see her family members, children, grandchildren, and others have the same hope in Christ and his resurrection that she had.

Janis was a loving mother to children, Tom, Loretta, and Jonathan. She was a loving grandmother (“GG”) to 8 grandchildren and great grandmother to 9 great grandchildren.

Janis was preceded in death by her parents, Carroll and Ruth Rowe, son, John Thomas “Tom” Watson, and brother-in-law, Dan Watson. She is survived by her husband, Ronald Watson; daughter Loretta of Jacksonville, AR, and her children Gina, Grant (Miranda), and Jennifer (Robert); son Jonathan Watson(Karen), and his children Emma, Abby, Nathan, and Jude of Summerville, SC; and grandson, Johnny Watson. Janis is also survived by her beloved siblings: sister, Charlene Kimpler of Morton, IL; sister-in-law, Amarlis Harmon of Galena, MO; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins she loved and delighted in knowing. She also leaves many life-long friends whom she cherished.

Special thanks to the hospice home care nurses and chaplains who assisted in her final stage of life. In lieu of flowers gifts may be given to the Life Recovery Ministry at North Hills Baptist Church (nthhills@sbcglobal.net).