Jo Watts

Jo Watts, 96, died November 4, 2012 in Grapevine, TX. She was born November 29, 1915, to George P. and Lou Walden, and grew up in Plainview, Arkansas where she lived until her marriage in 1941 to Carmon Watts. They then moved to Aplin. Her gifts and calling in life were manifested at the age of nineteen when her step-mother died leaving a five-year-old half-sister and a three-year-old half-brother. Her half-sister has commented that she was a fantastic big sister/mother, sewing clothes made from flour sacks for her to wear to school. Her half-brother remarked that she turned down two marriage proposals because she felt she was needed at home to help care for him. When Carmon proposed she accepted, fearing that she might be an old maid. Her marriage to Carmon produced five children bringing her a life filled with the simple pleasures of raising a family. Rising early each day she baked homemade biscuits, milked a cow for fresh milk, butter, and she made ice cream using ice trays for freezing. She was a very good cook, especially known for yeast rolls and peanut brittle. They grew a large vegetable garden for canning and freezing and Jo thought nothing of picking and canning wild blackberries to make cobblers. She would get up early on Sundays and cook before going to church so that the family would have a nice lunch. In addition to all this, Jo found time during her busy days to sew doll clothes for her daughters' dolls. She played the piano by ear and for many years did so for Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. She loved to sing and went about her day humming hymns. Jo was the primary caregiver for her aging mother-in-law, never complaining even though it was disrupting to her two youngest sons' home-life. Another interesting fact about Jo is that she didn't learn to drive until she was 65 years old. This not only surprised her adult children, but her lead foot often caused them to ask her to slow down a bit. She was an active member of the Aplin Extension Homemakers Club and was also active in the Perryville Senior Adult Center. Carmon predeceased her. She is survived by her sons, Ronnie and Carol of Eagle River, AK; Doug and Trisha of Casa; Greg and Jeannie of Odessa, TX; daughters, Madge and Carroll McDaniel of Southlake, TX and Peggy and Marlin Hardman of Potomac Falls, VA; half-brother, George P. Walden of Portland, OR; half-sister Imodale Huckins of Ridgecrest CA; eight grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. Graveside services will be 10:00 a.m. Monday November 12th, at Nimrod Cemetery by Harris Funeral Home of Perryville. Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Sunday, November 11th at the funeral home in Perryville.

Jo Watts

November 29, 1915 - November 4, 2012