WELDON W. WATSON

EAST PRAIRIE -- Weldon Ward Watson, 77, of East Prairie died Wednesday, July 17, 1996, at Methodist Central Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., due to an extended illness.

He was born Oct. 11, 1918, in Morley, the son of Leslie and Blanche O'Connor Watson. On Sept. 27, 1940, he married Alfreda R. Shortz.

Watson had lived in East Prairie most of his life, where he was a retired assistant postmaster and a deacon of the First Baptist Church. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, having served on the USS Missouri under the command of Adm. William Halsey.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Weldon W. Watson Jr. of Lititz, Pa.; a daughter, Jan Coomer of Cordova, Tenn.; a brother, Joe Watson of East Prairie; and two grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a brother.

Friends may call after 5 p.m. today at the Shelby Funeral Home in East Prairie.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with Ted Wimberley and George White officiating. Burial will follow in the Odd Fellows Cemetery near Charleston.