Elizabeth Steadman Watson

Elizabeth "Betty" Steadman Watson RIDGE SPRING- Elizabeth "Betty" Steadman Watson, 88, died on August 3, 2013. She was the childhood sweetheart and wife of Joseph Calhoun "Joe Cal" Watson for 64 years. Mrs. Watson's loving and generous spirit shone throughout her life. She had a special gift for listening to and making others feel special. Mrs. Watson will be greatly missed by her family and friends. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Watson is survived by her beloved children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. They include her daughter, Mary W. Edmonds (Marion) and her son, the Reverend Joseph C. Watson (Susanna); her grandchildren, Michael Edmonds, Marion "Chip" Edmonds, Molly Yates (Ian), Aurelia Hamilton (Elwood), Cal Watson (Jody), Elizabeth Wood (Nicholas); and her great grandchildren, Jennings Hamilton and Madeline Watson. Mrs. Watson was born in Ridge Spring on October 1, 1924, the daughter of Wallace Wendell and Frances Anderson Steadman. She graduated from Ridge Spring High School in 1941 and from Columbia College in 1945. She received a degree in physical therapy from the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, and, before her marriage in 1948, she worked as a physical therapist during a polio epidemic in Boise, Idaho. After her children were grown, Mrs. Watson taught first grade at Ridge Spring Elementary School from 1971 to 1979. Mrs. Watson was a loyal and active member of Ridge Spring United Methodist Church, where she played the piano for many years. The family wants to thank Patricia Valentine for her loving kindness to Mrs. Watson during the last years of her life. They also appreciate the care and concern shown by the staff of Agape Hospice. A funeral service will be held on August 8 at 2:00 p.m. at the Ridge Spring United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends at the parsonage next to the church at 1:00 pm. Interment will follow the service at the Ridge Spring Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Foundation for International Community Assistance (FINCA). Checks may be mailed to the Ridge Spring Methodist Church, 206 DuBose Street, Ridge Spring, SC, 29129.