A public visitation service for William Elwood “Cotton” Watts, 91, was held on January 2 at Wilson-Orwosky Funeral Home Chapel.
Mr. Watts died on December 30, 2020. He was born on December 21, 1929, to Robert Edward “Buck” and Carletta Watts. He was raised in the County Line community and graduated from Miller Grove High School.
He served in the United States Air Force, and was eventually stationed in Presque Isle, Maine. While there, he met the love of his life, Jacqueline “Jackie” Anne Watson and they married on December 21, 1952. The newlywed couple moved to Dallas, where he worked for American Airlines for 32 years.
In 1996, he and his wife moved back to the country, settling on the site of his parents’ family homestead. Mr. Watts loved to travel, hunt, fish and tinker with various automobiles, particularly his VW Rabbits. In 2002, they bought a motor home and went on many enjoyable trips, especially to New Mexico and Arkansas. His other travels included salmon-fishing trips to Alaska, quail hunts in Mexico and deer and elk hunting in Colorado. Wild game and fish were staples at the Watts’ dinner table.
Mr. Watts is survived by his wife; daughters, Beverly Phillips and husband Mark, and Cindy Bucher and husband Scott; son, Mark Watts and wife Lori; grandchildren, Denise Rhodey and husband Mark, Amber Shinn and husband Randy, Alicia Smith and husband J.R., Whitney Watts and Peyton Watts; great-grandchildren, Ryan Woods, Tyler Woods, Austin Woods, Dylan Shinn, Makayla Smith and Kessler Smith; four great-great-grandchildren; brothers, Lewis Dean Watts and wife Shirley, and James Austell Watts and wife Chrysteen; numerous nieces; and special great-nephew and VW buddy, Logan Holden.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Curtis Milton Watts and Edward Elton Watts; and sister, Ruth Ivetta Hines.
Arrangements were under the direction of Wilson-Orwosky Funeral Home, Emory.