Olivia Watson Neill

Olivia Watson Neill died at her home on May 10, 2025, after a brave struggle against ALS. She was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on May 19, 1950, to Dr. Robert and PLD Watson. She attended Miss Jean's kindergarten, Forest Park Elementary, Pulaski Heights Junior High, and graduated from Hall High School in 1968. (As a proud Hall High Warrior, she insisted on wearing her varsity cheerleading uniform to her fifty-year reunion-no alterations!) Summers were spent at the Country Club of Little Rock pool or wandering around the Heights in Little Rock and at Camp Waldemar in Hunt, Texas. After high school she attended Mary Baldwin College for two years. Her mother insisted she return to Arkansas where she could find an Arkansas husband. She enrolled at the University of Arkansas and four years later she left with a BA and MFA. While at the University she was a member of Chi Omega Fraternity. She taught art history at UALR for several years and then in 1978 her mother's worst fear came true when she met and fell in love with a young doctor from Mississippi. On April 21, 1979, she married Dr. John Neill who survives her along with their two children, Robert (Bob) Watson Neill (Alina) of Medellin, Colombia, and Dr. John (Jack) Chalmers Neill Jr. (Audrey), of Tupelo, Mississippi. She leaves four adored grandchildren: Sophie, Lydia, David and Emma. She is also survived by her sister Lindsey Watson Allen, niece Katharine Adams, and grandnieces Kate and Olivia Adams.
Olivia truly never met a stranger and quickly established relationships wherever her husband's career took them. They moved to New Orleans a few months after marrying and then to Jackson. Before settling into John's practice, they spent one year in Toronto. Over forty years later she was still corresponding with friends in New Orleans, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and Nigeria. In 1988, Olivia and John moved into their home on Lake Circle where she continued to raise her children. She was the one who made sure schoolwork was complete, they made it to Sunday school and ushered them along in their Scouting programs. She never tired of telling people that her two boys were third generation Eagle Scouts. And she would never consider missing their sporting events.
She joined the Junior League of Little Rock, transferred her membership to the New Orleans Junior League and finally settled into the Jackson League. It was in the Jackson League where she began her involvement with one of her great joys, the Joyful Noise singing group. Even when unable to stand she still insisted on dressing up and being with her dear friends. She was an active member of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Mississippi. (Olivia was always particular about being specific in the stating of the NSCDA name and dear, I hope I did it correctly.) She was a member of the Legacy Antique Club and the Research Club. Friends were especially important to Olivia and so many could be found in her medical wives' luncheon clubs, Les Amies and Tant d' Amis. To complete the list, I will add Saucy Sustainers, a cooking group. She loved people.
Olivia was not a sophisticated angler but loved to sit on a dock with pole in hand at her cabin at the Lakeside Country Club or at her cabin at Mule Jail or with dear friends on the docks of the Ojibway Lodge on Lake Temagami, Ontario. No fish was too small for her not to relish in the catch.
Olivia would be disappointed if I did not mention her gingerbread houses. Many who read this will have been recipients of these Christmas traditions that gave her such joy. For several years we have spent Christmas in Colombia where she introduced Bob's extended family to the art of gingerbread house construction and decoration. Her skill has been shared with all her grandchildren and this past Christmas her husband served under her direction to produce a house because her hands were too weak to squeeze out the icing. She was a gentle and patient teacher to all.
Olivia grew up a Methodist but attended First Presbyterian Church from her first arrival in Jackson. She was a member of the Covenant Sunday School class and in 2022 shook off the burden of six generations of Methodism to join First Presbyterian Church.
She was a wonderful wife, mother, friend, daughter, sister, and aunt. She is missed by all who knew her. For several days before her death she asked repeatedly, "are we home yet?" She is now home. God grant us grace to patiently await the reunion to come.
If you wish to remember Olivia by a memorial then please consider the Mustard Seed, Flowood, MS, or Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS, or The Mount Holly Cemetery Association, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Her funeral service will take place at First Presbyterian Church on Friday, May 16, 2025, at 3:00pm with visitation beginning at 12:30pm and she will be interred at Mount Holly Cemetery on Monday, May 19, 2025, at 2:00pm.