John Watson

John Cleveland "Sandy" Watson of Rural Shade passed away on Monday, August 3, 2009. He was born November 28, 1945 in Socorro, New Mexico to Frances Jeanne Cole Watson and John Irby Watson. He grew up in Abilene and graduated from Abilene High School in 1964. In high school he played baseball and excelled at debate. He attended college at the University of Texas at Arlington, before joining the United States Air Force in 1965. He served in the Air Force for four years, including service during Vietnam War. In 1969 he was honorably discharged from the Air Force. He them went to work at Bell Helicopter for a period of time and returned to school at the University of Texas at Arlington. After that, he held a few different jobs until he found the right match for him. In 1988, Sandy began work in Corsicana at the Collin Street Bakery, where he rose to the level of plant manager and remained in that position until the time of his death. Sandy was dedicated to his work at the bakery, and those he worked with there were like family to him. While working at the bakery, Sandy also met Debbie Scruggs, whom he fell in love with and had the good sense to marry. Sandy loved the outdoors, fishing, hunting and being close to nature. And he loved sports, especially the Dallas Cowboys. He could sometimes be heard yelling at the television when his team wasn't making him proud. He was well read and was especially interested in and knowledgeable about Texas history. Sandy also enjoyed doing crossword puzzles and always had at least one going at any given time. He loved his dogs- Baby Girl, Dallas, Rowdy and Miss Red- and they loved him. He enjoyed sitting on his back porch swing and listening to the quiet of his country home. He liked good music, mostly country-western and Cajun. He had a number of lifelong friends with whom he got into fair amount of mischief in his younger years, and who knew him to be a good friend and true to his word. Those of us who knew and loved him will always remember his keen sense of humor, his stubbornness, his intelligence and most of all the warmth of his heart. He's gone from us too soon, and the world is not as good a place without him. Sandy is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by wife Debbie, daughter Barbara (B.J.) ; grandson Benjamin; brother Rick and wife Shary; nephew Tony and wife Myong-Hui and their daughters Ally and Emily; step daughter Chris and husband James, grandchildren Kala, Kelsie and Kole Haley; step son Shane and wife Lisa, grandchildren Briar, and Josey Scruggs, Lucas Gilbert and sister in law Cindy and husband John Goodnight as well as cousins and other relatives. Sandy donated his body for medical education and research to The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. A memorial service will be held 7pm Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at Griffin-Roughton Chapel.

John Watson

November 28, 1945 - August 3, 2009