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1922
Gene
2013
Gene "Whitey" Watson
February 11, 1922 — August 19, 2013
Gene "Whitey" O. Watson, 91, of Waukon, IA, died Monday, August 19, 2013, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Thursday, August 22nd, at 11:00 AM at First Presbyterian Church in Waukon, with Pastor Grant VanderVelden officiating. Burial with military rites will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call from 10:00 AM until the time of service Thursday at the church. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.
Gene Orvis Watson was born February 11, 1922 in Ainsworth, Iowa to Charles Wilbur and Nellie (McFarland) Watson. He attended high school in Ainsworth, Iowa. Gene entered the Army in 1942 at the age of 20 and was assigned to the First Army, 37 Combat Engineers, Company C. It was during this time and because of his hair color that he acquired the nickname "Whitey". After 13 weeks of boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri he was sent to Camp Beale in California and then Jacksonville, Florida for Combat Engineer training. When training was completed he went to New York City by train to be shipped to South Wales in England where they were under "Black Out" conditions every evening. It was in England that Gene met Arthur Ewing and they were together from that time until they arrived back in the United States after the war.
At the end of World War II and upon his discharge in December 1945, Gene went to live in Colorado where his mother and stepfather were living. For the next year and a half Gene worked with his brother Gaile as a carpenter for a large company where his stepfather was a foreman. In the summer of 1947 he came to Waukon, Iowa to visit his army buddy Art Ewing. It was at this time that he met Art's sister-in-law Helen Jacobia Ewing. Whitey courted Helen and the two were married on January 1, 1949 at the Forest Mills United Methodist Church in rural Postville, IA. They made their home at the farm on Shining Drive where they farmed the land and continued to do carpentry work for a living. Gene was known for his attention to detail as a finish carpenter. Gene was a member to the First Presbyterian Church in Waukon, Iowa since 1956. He was also a member of the VFW and American Legion. He enjoyed nature and the outdoors, playing cards, and loved to go dancing with Helen. He was very appreciative of the care he received since moving to the Good Samaritan Center and enjoyed the time he spent with follow residents, playing bingo, and watching the birds outside his window.
Gene is survived by his stepson Jerry Willis Ewing and Anna Marie Ewing of Waterville, Iowa, a daughter-in-law Phyllis Ewing of Omaha, Nebraska, 6 grandchildren: Scott and Doug Ewing, Lisa Reisner, Nancy Clark and Paul and Christine Ewing; 13 great-grandchildren: Glyeb and Gabriella Ewing, Cole and Connor Ewing and Daria Ryzhenkova, Claira, Johnna and Eli Reisner, Dillon and Morgan Noad, Charles and Eliza Clark, Avery and Allie Ewing. Gene is also survived by two sisters Midge Ewing from Monona, Iowa and Edna Pronto from Denver, Colorado and a brother Gaile Watson also from Denver. Gene was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, his wife Helen Watson, stepson David Ewing and grandchild Michael Ewing.
The family would like to thank everyone for the kindness they have shown and invite all to share lunch with them in the Fellowship Hall following the Committal Service at the Oakland Cemetery.
Casketbearers are Scott and Doug Ewing, Cole and Glyeb Ewing, John May, and Chuck Bloxham.
Gene Orvis Watson was born February 11, 1922 in Ainsworth, Iowa to Charles Wilbur and Nellie (McFarland) Watson. He attended high school in Ainsworth, Iowa. Gene entered the Army in 1942 at the age of 20 and was assigned to the First Army, 37 Combat Engineers, Company C. It was during this time and because of his hair color that he acquired the nickname "Whitey". After 13 weeks of boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri he was sent to Camp Beale in California and then Jacksonville, Florida for Combat Engineer training. When training was completed he went to New York City by train to be shipped to South Wales in England where they were under "Black Out" conditions every evening. It was in England that Gene met Arthur Ewing and they were together from that time until they arrived back in the United States after the war.
At the end of World War II and upon his discharge in December 1945, Gene went to live in Colorado where his mother and stepfather were living. For the next year and a half Gene worked with his brother Gaile as a carpenter for a large company where his stepfather was a foreman. In the summer of 1947 he came to Waukon, Iowa to visit his army buddy Art Ewing. It was at this time that he met Art's sister-in-law Helen Jacobia Ewing. Whitey courted Helen and the two were married on January 1, 1949 at the Forest Mills United Methodist Church in rural Postville, IA. They made their home at the farm on Shining Drive where they farmed the land and continued to do carpentry work for a living. Gene was known for his attention to detail as a finish carpenter. Gene was a member to the First Presbyterian Church in Waukon, Iowa since 1956. He was also a member of the VFW and American Legion. He enjoyed nature and the outdoors, playing cards, and loved to go dancing with Helen. He was very appreciative of the care he received since moving to the Good Samaritan Center and enjoyed the time he spent with follow residents, playing bingo, and watching the birds outside his window.
Gene is survived by his stepson Jerry Willis Ewing and Anna Marie Ewing of Waterville, Iowa, a daughter-in-law Phyllis Ewing of Omaha, Nebraska, 6 grandchildren: Scott and Doug Ewing, Lisa Reisner, Nancy Clark and Paul and Christine Ewing; 13 great-grandchildren: Glyeb and Gabriella Ewing, Cole and Connor Ewing and Daria Ryzhenkova, Claira, Johnna and Eli Reisner, Dillon and Morgan Noad, Charles and Eliza Clark, Avery and Allie Ewing. Gene is also survived by two sisters Midge Ewing from Monona, Iowa and Edna Pronto from Denver, Colorado and a brother Gaile Watson also from Denver. Gene was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, his wife Helen Watson, stepson David Ewing and grandchild Michael Ewing.
The family would like to thank everyone for the kindness they have shown and invite all to share lunch with them in the Fellowship Hall following the Committal Service at the Oakland Cemetery.
Casketbearers are Scott and Doug Ewing, Cole and Glyeb Ewing, John May, and Chuck Bloxham.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Gene "Whitey" Watson, please visit our flower store.
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