Mrs. Mary Merchant Watson

COLUMBIA - Funeral service for Mary Elizabeth Merchant Watson, 87, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, 2014, at Greene Street United Methodist Church, with burial in Greenlawn Memorial Park, with the Rev. David Anderson officiating.  The family will receive friends from 1 until 2:00 p.m. at the church prior to the service.  Serving as pallbearers are her six grandsons, Jimmy McDougall, Joseph McDougall, Jonathan Watson, Matthew Watson, Alex Watson and Nick Watson.  Honorary pallbearers are Wade Wiles, Ervin West, Billy Long and Bobby Price.  Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.      Mrs. Watson died Sunday, May 11, 2014.  Born July 26, 1926, in Greenville, she was a daughter of the late Gerald Culbreth and Mary Elizabeth Eden Merchant.  She enjoyed her family and cherished her backyard which was a Backyard Wildlife Habitat. She was an active member of Greene Street United Methodist Church, serving on numerous committees.  In addition, she volunteered at the S.C. State Museum for 19 years and Pink Lady at the Baptist Hospital for several years.      She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Philip Edward Watson Sr. and a son-in-law, James C. McDougall.  Surviving are her children, Diane Watson McDougall, Philip E. “Flip” Watson Jr. (Karen) of Murphy, N.C., Charles P. Watson (Christie) of Lexington; grandchildren, Jimmy, Joseph (Tracy) and Collins McDougall, Jonathan Watson (Tara), Nikol Watson, Matthew Watson, Meredith Watson (Marcio), Alex Watson (Sandra), Nick Watson (Jamie); three great-grandchildren, Elizabeth Dawn Watson, Ansleigh Claire Watson, Malcolm James McDougall.       Memorials may be made to Greene Street United Methodist Church Capital Improvement Account, 1106 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29201.