David Lawrence Watson

DAVID L. WATSON MUSCATINE, Iowa - David Lawrence Watson, 82, of Muscatine, died on Saturday, August 17, 2013, at the Lutheran Homes. Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 23, 2013, at Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home. Reverend Steven Cauley and Associate Cheryl Hollich of the Zion Lutheran Church will officiate. Burial will take place in Memorial Park Cemetery with Military Honors provided by V.F.W. Post No. 1565. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 22, 2013, at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer Foundation or to the family, in care of Doris Watson. David was born on December 25, 1930, in Muscatine, the son of Newton Beecher and Elizabeth Mae Herlein Watson. He married Doris Weeks on June 29, 1952, in Muscatine. They were married by Reverend Hartwig Harms at the Zion Lutheran Church. Dave and Doris were married 61 years. He attended several rural schools, Muscatine High School, Muscatine Community College and the University of Iowa, majoring in Business Administration. After high school, David enlisted in the Army. He served four years in the Army, serving a year and a half in Korea. He ha...[more]

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orked at the Celon Company while attending college, the National Guard and the Rock Island Arsenal. Dave retired from the Arsenal after 36 years of civil service. His job took him too many countries. It allowed him to take his family to live in Germany for six years. Dave was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church, the American Legion Post No. 27, the V.F.W. Post No. 1565, the B.P.O. Elks #304 and the A.F. & A.M. Iowa Lodge No. 2. He was a life member of both the American Legion and the V.F.W. and served as Commander of both. After he retired from the Arsenal, he served on the Muscatine County Board of Veterans Affairs as Service Officer for many years. He built the family home. In his spare time, he was an avid gardener, always willing to share the produce he raised with his neighbors, friends and the Food Pantry. Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Doris Watson of Muscatine; four sons, David Paul Watson and wife, Silvia, of St. Peters, Missouri, Michael R. Watson and wife, Leslie, of Muscatine, Jeffery N. Watson of Muscatine, and Jerome W. Watson and wife, Pamela, of Alexandria, Virginia; nine grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; one brother, Donald Watson of Muscatine; and one sister, Mary Schantz of Washington. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Blaine and Albert Watson.