Sandra Jean Watson

Sandra Jean Tucker Watson sadly passed away at 5:48pm, Sunday, Sep 6th at Erlanger Hospice Center after an accident in her apartment at Hickory Valley Retirement Center where she resided independently for several years. She had been frail for a time.

She was the 9th of 10 children of Reed Edwin Tucker and Ruth Evangeline Tucker. She would jokingly say that her parents were cousins and they were, 1st cousins but Ruth was adopted.

Sandy, as she was known, was born in Endicott, New York’s Ideal Hospital on Feb 6th 1937. She grew up on the family farm in Choconut, Pennsylvania which had been in the family for generations going back to her Revolutionary War ancestor. She loved rousting about with all her siblings but was the ultimate classy lady. She graduated from Vestal High School in 1955 having been in Marching Band, Band, Choir, and other activities the entire time.

She served the USA in the Women’s Army Corp stationed at Ft. McClellan, Alabama, the home of the 14th WAC Band as a trombonist from ~1955-1957. During that time, she played for President Eisenhower’s 2nd Inauguration. She mentioned many years ago playing for ‘a prince’ as well but she couldn’t remember who. The only prince to have visited the US during that time was Prince Philip.

One month after her discharge from the WACs, she married Terry Kenneth Watson at the Rising Fawn Baptist Church in Rising Fawn, Georgia on 29th Nov 1957. They lived initially in the Chicago area where Terry Jr was born. Later, they moved to the Binghamton, New York area where Aaron, their last son, was born.

Sandy, ever the independent overachiever, graduated in 1979, from Broome Community College with her degree in Nursing. Her nursing career including being a doctor’s office nurse (Binghamton), L&D (Erlanger), Baptist (Nashville) L&D staff, then supervisor, then House Supervisor. When the family moved back to Chattanooga, she changed her career path to psych and retired from Parkridge Valley’s Respond program at the ripe age of 78! She didn’t want to retire then, but her body spoke louder than her soul.

Her pride and joy were always family who she lived to serve. She is survived by both sons, Terry Jr (Deana), and Aaron. She has 2 granddaughters, Jessika and Rebekah Watson whom she doted on with every breath. She is survived by so many nieces and nephews, there are too numerous to name except for 2 whom she was their mother-in-heart, Patty and Rene’. Everyone who knew her called her mom or Roomie (if you were on a cruise ship). If you were in her children’s or grandchildren’s circles, she was mom or Grammy; you were family. Period. She is also survived by her youngest brother David Tucker (Judy) and sisters-in-law, Janice and Jan.

She was preceded in death by her loving parents, her brothers and sisters: Edwin (Ann), Charlotte (Cecil Space), Dorothea (Everett Rhodes), Robert (Christine), Alvin (Jeanne), an infant brother, Horton (Sue), Paul, and James. Included in those who preceded her were her niece Laura Tucker Gould, and son-in-law, John Watson-Baggott. All her brothers, but 2 served this country in a military branch. She felt compelled to follow them.

She will be interred at Chattanooga National Cemetery as befits her service to her nation, in Section AAA, Grave 1 next, to her husband Terry Watson, Sr.

The family will receive friends at the Chattanooga Funeral Home, Valley View Chapel from 4-7 Friday and from 10-11 Saturday morning. Funeral services will follow at 11 in the chapel.

Please share your thoughts and memories to www.chattanoogavalleyviewchapel.com.