Lester Hiram Watson, Sr., 81, of Tifton, died Monday, July 30, 2007, at Tift Health Care. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Rev. Jim Wiley will officiate with burial to follow in Tift Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Keith Watson, Chad Ward, Tim Hobbs, Brian Watson, Paul McMillan and Josh McMillan. Honorary pallbearers will be Deacons of Eastside Baptist Church. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, July 31, 2007, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Mr. Watson was born on September 28, 1925 in Berrien County and was the son of W. W. Watson and Lila Tucker Watson, both deceased. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Jackson Watson, who died in 1997; two brothers, Willis Watson and Leon Watson; and three sisters, Ava Watson Baldree, Della Watson and Edna Watson Tucker. He was a retired supervisor with Armour and Company and Luke's Brothers and had lived in Tifton for 50 years. He was an avid fisherman and an avid Atlanta Braves fan and loved his eight grandchildren. He was a member of Eastside Baptist Church and a United States Army veteran of World War II and drove a tank from France to Berlin, Germany at the D-Day Invasion.
Mr. Watson is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, J. R. and Opal Watson of Tifton; two daughters and sons-in-law, Willene Watson Hobbs and her husband, Garry, of Tifton, and Betty Watson Ward and her husband, Aubrey, of Sparks; eight grandchildren, Keith Watson, Stacey McMillan, Brian Watson, Tim Hobbs, Heather Benefield, Chad Ward, Dawn Ward and Sonia Snow; and ten great grandchildren.