Jeannette Mary Watson

Jeannette Mary Watson, age 84, died Oct. 10, 2019, in Aurora, Colorado. Born Jeannette Mary Kent in Newcastle, Nebraska on July 27, 1935, Jeannette grew up in the tiny town of Jefferson, South Dakota, and was the oldest of nine children. A former Miss Sioux City Sue beauty queen, she was nicknamed ""Red"" because of the color of her beautiful hair. She met her husband, Art Watson, at Bishop Heelan Catholic High School, in Sioux City, Iowa, and they married in 1957. After spending her childhood working in her father's drug store, she became a pharmacist, graduating from South Dakota State University at the top of her class. She and Art, who also was a pharmacist, moved to Colorado, where they would raise their five children in Denver and later Fort Collins. Jeannette worked at St. Joseph's Elementary School and Ron's Pharmacy in Fort Collins before they moved back to the Denver area to be near their grandchildren. After retiring from Rite Aid, Jeannette devoted herself to her life's passions, playing the piano, listening to jazz, reading books, decorating, gardening, learning Spanish and traveling the globe. She also volunteered as an English as a Second Language teacher for immigrant adults. She was a life-long learner but above all an incredible mom and grandma, who never hesitated to drop everything to spend time with her children and grandchildren. She is survived by her five children, daughter Kelly Stout and her husband, Chuck Stout of Denver; daughter Lisa Schafer and her husband, Dan Schafer of San Diego; daughter Betsy DeMarco of Hamden, CT; son Michael Watson and his wife, Maria Watson of Denver; and daughter Julie Watson and her husband, Greg Bull of San Diego; and nine grandchildren, Ben and Adam Schafer, Nicholas and Alex DeMarco, Carolyn Stout, Christian and Russell Watson and Fiona and Anika Bull. Other survivors include her eight siblings, Francis Kent, Allen Kent, Edward Kent, Carole Murphy, Eugene Kent, Norma Stohr, Terry Welk and Jone Kent. She was preceded in death by her husband, Art, and their infant son, Christopher Kent Watson, and her parents, John P. Kent and Genevieve Kent, of Jefferson, South Dakota. A wake will be held from 6-10 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 17, at Horan and McConaty, 1091 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver. A funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. the following day, Friday, at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church in Denver. Reception to follow at 12 p.m. at Horan and McConaty, 11150 E. Dartmouth Ave., in Aurora.

 

Visitation: October 17, 2019 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Horan & McConaty - South Denver
1091 S. Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO 80246

Funeral Mass: October 18, 2019 10:00 am

Most Precious Blood Catholic Church
2250 S Harrison St.
Denver, CO 80210

https://mpbdenver.org/

Reception: October 18, 2019 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Horan & McConaty - SE Denver/Aurora
11150 E. Dartmouth Ave.
Aurora, CO 80014

Graveside Service: October 19, 2019 10:00 am

Mount Olivet Cemetery
12801 W. 44th Ave.
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033