Henry Thedford Watson

Henry Thedford WATSON (Senior) died on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale in Carbondale, Illinois at the age of 94 years, 8 months, 26 days. He had a long battle with the effects of COVID which he contracted in December 2020. He was born to Howard Thedford WATSON and Oreda KING in Leon County outside Centerville, Texas near Pleasant Ridge on Friday, November 1, 1929. 

Henry’s mother died August 30, 1931, when she was thrown from a wagon at the age of twenty-three. Henry was just 1 year and 10 months old. His older sister, Billie Joyce was 3 years and 4 months old. Henry’s father remarried Ruby Mae BRADY on May 20, 1932. Howard and Ruby had two children; son, Howard Hilton and daughter, Betty Lue. Henry and his siblings were raised by Ruby.

He was raised in Leon County, Texas and attended Buffalo schools and graduated two years early from Buffalo High School on May 24, 1946, at the age of sixteen.

Henry traveled to Houston and thirteen days later joined the Army on Thursday, June 9, 1946. He served in Company H, 34th Infantry Regiment. He shipped off to Japan on December 13, 1946, and returned home after nine months and seven days of foreign service. After one month of leave Henry received an honorable discharge on October 29, 1947. He went back to Leon County where he eloped with the girl he’d known since first grade, Laura Lee SANDERS, on September 17, 1948, in Freestone County, Texas and was married by a justice of the peace. Their marriage lasted until ten days short of their 73rd wedding anniversary, when Laura Lee died on September 7, 2021.

After their marriage, they made their home in Huntsville, Walker County, Texas where they both attended Sam Houston State University and then raised two children, Lucy and Ted. Henry owned three service stations, two GULF and one Humble, for twenty years before moving Fort Collins, Colorado in 1972 where Henry was a Sheriff of Larimer County and then retired to Buffalo, Texas in 1994.

While living in Buffalo for almost twenty years, they attended church every Sunday where they were both members of the Stewart Memorial United Methodist Church and enjoyed “GAMES” with friends on Wednesdays. They enjoyed vacation travel from Texas to Colorado and then Colorado to Alaska twice to visit their daughter. They also really liked their many Las Vegas trips.

In 2013, they purchased a home next door to their daughter and moved to Carbondale, Illinois to be near her, their grandson and four great-grandchildren. Henry was preceded in death by his parents, step-mother, his wife, and his son, Henry Thedford "Ted" WATSON, Jr. who died February 15, 2012. Also Henry’s older sister Billie Joyce WATSON Perryman, her husband Tom PERRYMAN and their son Thomas King PERRYMAN. He is survived by his daughter, Melissa Lucile "Lucy" and Dr. E. Bane KROEGER; grandson, Brian Michael “Mickey” TRANT and great-grandchildren, Coleman, Mason, Laura Lee and Xander - all near his home in Southern Illinois. 

Also survived by his brother Hilton WATSON and his wife Irma, sister Betty and her husband Jerrell MASON and many nieces and nephews. Cremation services were performed by Southern Cremation and Burial Services of Murphysboro, IL. 

A small family graveside service will be performed by Pastor Andrew Thompson of the Stewart Memorial United Methodist Church of Buffalo, Texas and held at the Liberty Cemetery, Leon County Texas at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 7, 2024. Walters Funeral Home, Centerville, Texas is in charge of arrangements.