Eugene Douglas "Josh" Watts

Eugene Douglas "Josh" Watts

Avoca

Eugene Douglas "Josh" Watts, 87, of Avoca, went to be with his Lord and Saviour on Monday, May 13, 2013. Eugene was born September 20, 1925 in the Corinth community in Jones County to L. Z. and Lizzie Watts. He was a lifetime resident of Jones County and a 1944 graduate of Avoca High School. He was a farmer, served as a Deacon at the Avoca Baptist Church, taught the men's Sunday School class (the roughnecks), was a former member of the Stamford Memorial Hospital Board of Directors and the Avoca School Board. When Josh was in high school the Avoca Baptist Church was being built, and construction donations were being accepted. Josh had just started working for the Gillespie Gin when he was approached for a small donation for the church. Being a young man who had never had a pay check, he donated his first complete pay check since he didn't know what he would do with it anyway. He was a kind and gentle man who helped many people. He was a faithful donor to the Hardin Simmons University Six White Horses Program. In the early 60's he started a donor program of hay to feed the 6 white horses and this tradition carries on to this day. Josh married Dixie Lindsey on November 18, 1947. She preceded him in death. He later married Marlene Edwards on January 1, 2001.

He is survived by his wife, Marlene Watts of Avoca, 3 daughters, Kay Carter and husband Tom of Avoca, Jackie Clinkinbeard and husband Chester of Avoca, and Mindy Gossard and husband James of Leander, 1 son in law and daughter in law, Jerry and Glenda Mueller of Stamford, 1 sister, Mary Pace and husband Joe of Abilene, 13 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Dixie Lindsey Watts, 1 daughter, Sandy Mueller, 5 sisters, Gladys Shelton, Ethel Doty, Inez Herring, Faye Rasco, and Nettie McLellan, and 2 brothers, Floyd Watts and Pete Watts.

Funeral Services will be Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. at the Avoca Baptist Church with the Rev. Larry Watts and Rev. Kelly Russell officiating. Burial will follow in Spring Creek Cemetery in Avoca. The family will be receiving friends for visitation on Wednesday from 6:00p.m.-8:00p.m. at Tankersley Funeral Home 807 S. Columbia, Stamford, Texas.

The family asks that memorials be sent to either the Spring Creek Cemetery Association, P. O. Box 103, Avoca, Texas 79503 or to the Avoca Baptist Church, P. O. Box 36, Avoca, Texas 79503.

Online condolences may be viewed at www.tankersleyfuneralhome.com.