Obituary
L.T. "Gus" Watson, 93 of Sloan, died peacefully Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at Pleasant View Care Center in Whiting with family by his side.
Funeral Mass will be held 10 am Monday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Salix with Rev. Patrick O’Kane and Monsignor Mark Duchaine as co-celebrants. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation Sunday evening at the church 5-8 pm, with the family present 5-8 pm and a Vigil Service at 7 pm. Arrangements are under the direction of Waterbury Funeral Service.
Louis Thurman Watson was born on April 28, 1919 in Whiting, Iowa, the son of Paul and Dora Watson. His mother died when he was four years old, and he was raised by his maternal grandparents. Gus graduated in 1937 from the Sloan High School. On June 8, 1939, Gus was united in marriage to Lorraine Hubert in Sioux City. They lived for 2 years in Ottumwa, Iowa while he was serving in the Navy during WWII. They returned to Sloan where he personally made the blocks and built the building that he and Lorraine called Watson Locker Service. Gus was a true American entrepreneur, who built his business from the ground up. They retired in the late 1970’s.
Gus and Lorraine were married for over 71 years, and their devotion toward the other was the foundation of their lasting love.
Gus was a civic-minded citizen and a pillar of the community who consistently supported numerous school and community organizations through volunteer activity. He was very involved in the life of Sloan. Gus was a volunteer on the Sloan Fire Department, an EMT, served on the Sloan City Council, Library Board, church board and the Sloan Community Development board. He enjoyed being a flagman on Sunday evenings at the Onawa Racetrack during the late 1950’s and 1960’s. He was a life member of the Smith-Rhodes American Legion Post 295 and a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Salix.
Gus is survived by his two sons, Steve Watson and his wife Beverly of Boston, Massachusetts and Rick Watson of Sloan; two daughters, Karla and her husband Kris Maynard of Fishers, Indiana and Carol and her husband Dr. Garry Clark of Sergeant Bluff; 8 grandchildren, Amy (Tony) Derrick, Jason (Kelly) Claus, Joshua (Terri) Maynard, Jill (Adam) VanderSchaaf, Paul Watson, Neil (Shelly) Maynard, Rajean (Eli) Chastain and Andrea Matney; 9 great grandchildren and several step grand and step great-grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Albert Hubert and his wife Kathy of North Sioux City, SD, and Kermit Lee of Sloan.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lorraine, two brothers, Gail Watson and Bill Watson, one sister, Mary Noble, two daughters-in-law and one granddaughter.
Memorials may be made in his memory to the Smith-Rhodes American Legion Post 295 or the Sloan Public Library.
Funeral Mass will be held 10 am Monday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Salix with Rev. Patrick O’Kane and Monsignor Mark Duchaine as co-celebrants. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation Sunday evening at the church 5-8 pm, with the family present 5-8 pm and a Vigil Service at 7 pm. Arrangements are under the direction of Waterbury Funeral Service.
Louis Thurman Watson was born on April 28, 1919 in Whiting, Iowa, the son of Paul and Dora Watson. His mother died when he was four years old, and he was raised by his maternal grandparents. Gus graduated in 1937 from the Sloan High School. On June 8, 1939, Gus was united in marriage to Lorraine Hubert in Sioux City. They lived for 2 years in Ottumwa, Iowa while he was serving in the Navy during WWII. They returned to Sloan where he personally made the blocks and built the building that he and Lorraine called Watson Locker Service. Gus was a true American entrepreneur, who built his business from the ground up. They retired in the late 1970’s.
Gus and Lorraine were married for over 71 years, and their devotion toward the other was the foundation of their lasting love.
Gus was a civic-minded citizen and a pillar of the community who consistently supported numerous school and community organizations through volunteer activity. He was very involved in the life of Sloan. Gus was a volunteer on the Sloan Fire Department, an EMT, served on the Sloan City Council, Library Board, church board and the Sloan Community Development board. He enjoyed being a flagman on Sunday evenings at the Onawa Racetrack during the late 1950’s and 1960’s. He was a life member of the Smith-Rhodes American Legion Post 295 and a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Salix.
Gus is survived by his two sons, Steve Watson and his wife Beverly of Boston, Massachusetts and Rick Watson of Sloan; two daughters, Karla and her husband Kris Maynard of Fishers, Indiana and Carol and her husband Dr. Garry Clark of Sergeant Bluff; 8 grandchildren, Amy (Tony) Derrick, Jason (Kelly) Claus, Joshua (Terri) Maynard, Jill (Adam) VanderSchaaf, Paul Watson, Neil (Shelly) Maynard, Rajean (Eli) Chastain and Andrea Matney; 9 great grandchildren and several step grand and step great-grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Albert Hubert and his wife Kathy of North Sioux City, SD, and Kermit Lee of Sloan.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lorraine, two brothers, Gail Watson and Bill Watson, one sister, Mary Noble, two daughters-in-law and one granddaughter.
Memorials may be made in his memory to the Smith-Rhodes American Legion Post 295 or the Sloan Public Library.
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