Nathanial "Nathan or Nate" Windell Watts

family called him Nathan or Nate. He died peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family, on

October 8, 2020. His life was short but full. After he finished some college classes, he joined the

Navy and went off to boot camp at the Naval Training Center in Orlando, Florida. When he finished

boot camp, he was sent to a C school in San Diego, California, and became a Sonar Tech His first duty

station was on the USS Houston, a submarine. After a time on the Houston, he requested an

assignment on a surface vessel. He then went back to school and became a hull technician. His next

duty station was on a destroyer, the USS John S. McCain stationed at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii as part of

the Pacific Fleet, and later restationed in Japan. Nathan was proud of the fact that he was assigned

back to back on three surface vessels, the USS McCain, an aircraft carrier, the USS Kitty Hawk, and a

frigate, the USS Vandegrift and was forward deployed for about 14 years. While stationed in Japan,

Nathan met his wife, Kazumi. After their marriage, he was offered his choice of shore duty and chose

to be a C school instructor at Great Lakes, Illinois.

After a time as an instructor, Nathan was assigned to the Army as an Individual Augmentee, along with

others, to serve in Iraq. By that time, he had a beautiful daughter. Shortly after his service in Iraq, he

retired from the Navy, having served 20 plus years. He found a civilian job and moved his family,

which now included a son who was born before he retired, to Georgia, settling in Peachtree City.

Nathan was a good story teller and had some great ones about his time in the Navy. He loved being in

the Navy and at sea. He spoke about missing it .

Fatefully, in 2016, Nathan became ill with cancer, which would eventually kill him. He fought a

valiant battle to survive, to no avail. He wanted to live, but after 4 years of fighting, he was tired and

decided it was time to go.

He leaves behind a wonderful wife, Kazumi, and two beautiful children, Taiyo who is 12 and Hina who

is 16. He also leaves behind his father, Donald Watts, his step-mother, Sue Watts, and many extended

family members. He will be sorely missed by family and his many friends and neighbors.

Nathan was an intelligent young man. He was a great and expressive writer and could speak

knowledgeably on many subjects. He was artistic and a very skilled gamer. He had many friends who

are scattered throughout the United States and the world. He cared deeply for others and worked to

make sure that veterans were appropriately acknowledged for their service and sacrifice and were well

cared for.

Funeral services with military honors will be at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 18 at First Baptist Church of Peachtree City, 208 Willowbend Road, Peachtree City, GA. The family will receive friends at the church beginning at 1:30 p.m. Wearing masks and social distancing will be adhered to. For those unable to attend the services, there will be Live Feed Streaming scheduled for 2:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. at www.fbcptc.org/memorial.

The family request that donations be made to vhvfoundation.org/donate/

Carmichael-Hemperley Funeral Home, 135 Senoia Road, Peachtree City, is in charge of arrangements.