Jim Watson

In Tufts University classrooms, teaching Spanish as a noted educator, he was Professor Watson.

On the collegiate tennis circuit, helping students bring home national titles, he was "Hey, coach."

In the dining room at Cedar Woods, it was just "Hi, Jim."

With deep regret, we share the news that James "Jim" Watson has passed away after a series of illnesses. He was 86.

The son of Costa Rican-born American parents, Watson called Puntarenas, Costa Rica, his first home. Growing up bilingual, Jim and his family spent time in Panama before moving to San Francisco in the late 1940s.

There, admitted to a prestigious academic high school also known for its athletic programs, Jim was "bored by soccer," as he put it. Tennis? That intrigued him.

Teaching it - and the language he spoke growing up - would shape this life.

From California to the U.S.-Mexico border to Missouri to Iowa and North Carolina, Jim's higher education background spanned thousands of miles. His family, tracing its distinguished roots to New England's earliest days, allowed Jim to hold membership in the patriotic Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati.

Away from the classroom, summers gave Jim free time to sharpen his own tennis game-to teach it and play on a national circuit. From his 20s into his 50s, he held enviable stature in his age group. "An awesome coach, and an inspiring mentor," one remembrance characterized him.

Jim had a distinguished 24-year coaching career at Tufts University, where he was named New England Coach of the Year four times, twice for his men's teams and twice for his women's squads. Jim's amazing lifetime crossed paths with the likes of Billy Jean King, Jimmy Connors, and Arthur Ashe.

Survivors include Mary Jane (Mimi), Downes-Watson, his wife of 26 years; his brother, John, of Nevada City, Calif., and a devoted family by marriage, with cousins on both U.S. coasts and in Central America. May his memory bring comfort to all who knew Jim, as the love of music did for him.

An ecumenical Celebration of Life will be held at Cedar Woods, 2 p.m., Tuesday, February 24. The public is welcome to attend. Still in the planning stage, a special service is expected to be held this spring on the Tufts Medford, Mass., campus.

In place of flowers, please consider a donation to a reliable charity of your choice.