Robert Myers Watt

Robert Myers Watt passed away on May 5, at the Heartland Rehabilitation Center in Paxton. He was born in Springfield on December 26, 1920, the son of John J. Watt, Sr., and Kathryn Myers Watt. He graduated from Springfield High School in 1939, attended Santa Clara University and Illinois College in Jacksonville, and graduated in 1950 from the University of Illinois Pharmacy School in Chicago. He is survived by two sons, Dr. Robert Maur Watt (wife, Dr. Terri) of Southern Pines, North Carolina and Dr. Stephen Myers Watt (wife, Nona) of Bloomington, Indiana; and daughter Sally Ann Bryan of Rantoul, Illinois. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Robert, Jeremy, Caitlin, and Brendan Watt, and Bret and Todd Bryan. Also surviving is one great-granddaughter, Blake Ashley Bryan. He was preceded in death by Virginia M. Watt, whom he married on November 4, 1944 in Oakland, California, and by his five siblings: brothers, John Jr., Val, and Dave; and sisters: Kathryn Herter and Musette Argus. Bob served as a medical officer in the United States Coast Guard during World War II, and was stationed in California and on Attu in the Aleutian Islands. After graduation, he followed his three brothers by opening a Watt Bros. Pharmacy store in 1951, which he operated for over twenty years. In 2001, the Watt Brothers Pharmacies were inducted into the Route 66 Hall of Fame. In 1974, he began his twenty-year tenure in the pharmacy department at St. John's Hospital until his retirement in 1994. He was a former president of the Springfield Pharmaceutical Association and, among other activities, enjoyed coaching boys' basketball at Christ the King grade school, playing golf with his sons and friends, and travelling. Visitation: Family will receive friends from 4:00 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 11, 2014 at Kirlin-Egan & Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield with a short memorial program at 5:30 p.m. Graveside Ceremony: will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, May 12, 2014 at Calvary Cemetery with a processional departing at 8:30 a.m. from Kirlin-Egan and Butler Funeral Home.