John V. Watz

June 26th, 1921 – May 26th, 2011

Birthplace – El Campo, TX

Beloved husband of Faustine Watz for nearly sixty years, father to Jane Marie, John Vernon and Julie Evelyn.Survived by his wife, children and their spouses, Jane and Ron Verrett, John, Julie and Dan Weidert, with eleven grandchildren, and one great grandchild, Jacob Daniel, born May 1st, 2011;also survived by his sister, Rita Strnadel, of El Campo, TX.

After completing his military service and returning home to Texas he attended business school in

Houston, and worked in sales traveling throughout Texas and Louisiana; a thirty-five year stay at Suniland Furniture in Houston would be where he’d complete his work life but not his love of life.

“J.V.” as he was affectionately known by many, loved God, family and country; this was evident throughout his life by his calm and steady demeanor, along with his value of family. J.V. was truly a gentle man, as a parent, always leading by example and patient enough to teach. Having been raised on the family farm J.V. learned to work with his hands at a young age, he enjoyed gardening and woodworking, an aircraft mechanic during his military service, he also enjoyed auto mechanics. Many weekends were often spent visiting family in El Campo where working with one’s hands involved lessons making sausage with his loving brother Floyd, and brother-in-law, Ed Strnadel. Things fresh from the earth and the sea were always better to J.V., and if you could prepare them with your own hands, what a reward.

For entertainment J.V. enjoyed meeting with family and friends. A cocktail before dinner along with conversation about the day’s events or a little humor, were a family standard. J.V. was also a sports fan and like many he enjoyed televised sports, baseball being his favorite, a lifelong Astros fan. Their success wasn’t necessarily crucial, he really enjoyed just watching the game, and if he had been computer oriented he might have made a shrewd fantasy league player. The Astros were special though, there was an attachment, at times he could display a sixth sense and predict a change in the game, be it a strikeout, an inning ending double play or the big hit.

As a loving husband and father, J.V. never stopped fulfilling either role; his love and commitment to wife and family were unconditional and for his life’s duration. As J.V.’s children married and began their own families they lived overseas and across the U.S., he was always ready to go to visit, to see his grandchildren, to help with a home project, to enjoy the cycle of life. When his wife Faustine became home bound eight years ago he took on the role of caretaker, he fulfilled this role up until his last days when the disease that took him from us, made it impossible. J.V. was our gentle giant, the man of our family, the trunk of our tree, we will miss him dearly and cherish all of our memories of him, and we take great pride knowing that he is with our Lord in heaven.