Dorothy J. Watling

On Thursday, May 9, 2013 Dorothy Jane “Deegee” Watling of McLean, VA. Beloved wife of 53 years of Edward T. Watling; loving mother of Peter, Ted, Chris, and Rick; grandmother of Daniel, James, Kimberly, Catherine, Luke, Allison, Lilliana, Gianna, and Jet. The middle-sister of Anne Birtwell and Jackie Van Besien. Friends and family may call at Murphy Funeral Home, 1102 West Broad Street, Falls Church, VA 22046, on Tuesday May 14 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Catholic Mass will be offered at St. John the Beloved, 6420 Linway Terrace, McLean, VA 22101, on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 1 p.m. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

DOROTHY J. (“DEEGEE”) WATLING

Born in 1932, Deegee Watling (nee Dorothy Jane Reuter) was a renaissance woman whose love of life and learning positively affected and inspired those that she touched. She was active in all aspects of life and changed the places she lived. She will be missed.

In her 20’s Deegee, a graduate of Boston University’s physical education and dance programs in the 1950s, headed the Physical Education Department at Northeastern University in Boston. During her seven years there she grew the Department from 90 women to 250, and she expanded the dance programming and performance groups. She did that while choreographing University productions, and continuing her own dance education at the Boston Conservatory of Dance, the Boston School of Ballet, Martha Graham, and other dancers of note who gave master classes when in Boston.

While in Boston, life changed when she met a young Army officer, Ed Watling, who, on their first date, took her to the world premiere of the stage musical “The Sound of Music.” To make the night more memorable, Ed’s car was towed during the show. With fun and adventure assured, she married Ed, starting her journey with a cross-country road trip in a tiny Renault convertible to Redondo Beach, California, and the birth of Peter Watling. Ed’s military career then brought them to Panama. There they learned of an orphanage in Columbia where they fell in love with their second son, Edward L. “Ted” Watling. Moves to Pennsylvania and then northern Virginia saw the births of sons Chris and Rick too. Northern Virginia became home when Ed retired from the Army in 1973. She and Ed resided there for over 44 years.

In Northern Virginia, Deegee served on the Chesterbrook Elementary and McLean High School PTAs, the County Council of PTAs, the Superintendent’s Community Advisory Council, the Fairfax County Juvenile Court Advisory Board, and worked as a substitute teacher in the Fairfax County Public Schools in the 1980s and 1990s. Notably, she started an initiative at McLean High School called Parents Who Care, that took a closer look at teen drug use in the 1980s when many looked the other way.

Besides family, community, and education, she worked as a Precinct Captain and a member of the Fairfax County Republican Committee. She was also the President of the Greater McLean Republican Women’s Club, and a representative of the 10th District to the Virginia Federation of Republican Women. Whether a delegate or leader or a campaigner, her colleagues recall her as a positive but tough political organizer.

Deegee never stopped learning. She made time to earn a Masters in Liberal Studies from Johns Hopkins University; devoured books; and was a prolific artist, studying at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria. She never tired of athletics either. She spent 10 years as captain of the Fort Myer Ladies’ Tennis Team, and has other constant commitments to tennis, swimming, and good health.

Deegee is survived by Ed, their four sons, and nine grandchildren. Their oldest son Peter and his wife Jean have sons James and Daniel and daughter Catherine. Their son Ted and his wife Sandy have daughters Allison and Kimberly and son Luke. Their son Chris and Vivian have their son Jet. Their son Rick and wife Sofia have daughters Lilliana and Gianna. She is also survived by her sisters, younger sister Jackie Van Besien of Columbia, South Carolina and older sister Anne Birtwell of Leominster, Massachusetts.

When asked about herself recently, she said that she loved to travel, study and learn of all things, hear a good speaker, play tennis two to three times a week, lap swim two times a week, eat good food, read for book club, talk to interesting people, and play with grandchildren. She did what she loved, and loved what she did.