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Margaret Alice Watson

Born: December 29, 1917
Passed: March 7, 2011
Funeral Home: Elliott Chapel
Margaret Alice Holscher Watson, 93, of New London, died Monday, March 7, 2011 at Great River Hospice House, West Burlington. Mrs. Watson was born December 29, 1917 in Aledo, Illinois, the daughter of Henry and Maude Swearingen Holscher. On June 7, 1942 she married Elmer Watson in San Luis Obispo, California. He died February 25, 2001. She graduated from Aledo High School in 1935, and attended Western Illinois University, graduating in 1939. She did graduate work at the University of Colorado and the National School of Dress Design in Chicago. She worked at Carson, Pirie, Scott while in school in Chicago. She taught Home Economics in Potomac, Alexis, and Reynolds, Illinois, and Letts, Winfield and New London in Iowa. She retired from teaching in 1961 and went to work at the Mental Health Institute as an activity therapist and served a part-time director of the activity department. She retired 16 years later in 1979 and continued to volunteer for eight more years. Some of her paintings and art work are still on display at the hospital. She also volunteered at the New London Nursing & Rehab Center where she read stories and poems, and visited with the ladies whose chi...[more]

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en she had in school. .She loved sports, especially the Hawkeyes, and was an avid Cubs and Bears fan and an Arizona Suns fan. She especially enjoyed her neighbors. Mrs. Watson loved art and crafts, writing poetry and sewing. She so enjoyed young people and kept in contact with many of her former students. In 2003, she published her own book of poems, "Loving, Bits and Pieces" which she shared with her family and friends. She is survived by one daughter, Jan (Ron) Crow of New London; one special granddaughter, Bobbi Phillips and great-grandson Tarin Phillips of West Des Moines: four step-grandchildren, three great-step-grandchildren; and several cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, and husband. The Memorial Service for Mrs. Watson will be at 11:30 AM, Saturday, March 12 at Calvary Baptist Church, Mt. Pleasant. Pastor Mike Hess, and Pastor Earl Swigart will officiate. The family will greet friends from 10:00 to 11:30 AM Saturday morning at Calvary Baptist Church. Memorials have been established to Dover Museum, New London Dollars for Scholars, Great River Hospice House, and Calvary Baptist Church. Elliott Chapel, New London is in charge of arrangements.

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Funeral Home

Elliott Chapel
New London, IA 52645
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