COLUMBIA – Dr. Jerry S. Watson, Jr., 65, passed away on Thursday, February 16, 2017 surrounded by his loving family. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 24, 2017 at Northeast Presbyterian Church with Rev. Dr. George Crow officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. prior to the service in the church atrium. Dunbar Funeral Home, Northeast Chapel is assisting the family. Born in Columbia, SC, he was the son of the late Jerry “Buck” S. Watson, Sr. and Virginia “Jennie” Osborne Watson. Jerry was a graduate of AC Flora High School Class of 1969 and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Clemson University in 1973. He was the top male graduate of his class. He was the owner of Dr. Jerry S. Watson, Jr. D.M.D. General Dentistry for more than 35 years in Northeast Columbia. Jerry was a Life Member of the American Dental Association, South Carolina Dental Association and the Greater Columbia Dental Association. He was a ruling elder at Northeast Presbyterian Church, where he served on multiple mission trips utilizing his dental skills to help improve the lives of many. Jerry was a baseball coach for more than 20 years with the Dixie Youth Baseball League at the Polo Road Baseball Complex where he led multiple teams to state championships and back-to-back World Series title games for the first time in their league’s history. Jerry was an avid outdoorsman, and generously shared his passion of nature with everyone he loved. He was also an excellent marksman and fisherman. Jerry’s love of all things outdoors was eclipsed only by the love he had for his God, family and friends. He is survived by his loving wife of twenty one years, Renee Pruitt Watson; daughters, Sterling Watson of Columbia and Ashleigh Watson Closen (Eric) of Blythewood; sons, Jerry “Jes” S. Watson, III (Amy) of Columbia and Tripp Laursen (Britney) of Columbia; grandchildren, Camden, Tristen, Kylie and Jr.; sister, Jerva Watson Applegate (Rusty) of Irmo; nieces, Corey Lombardo (Anthony) of Chapin and Mandy Bloom (Bobby) of Irmo; great nephews, Nicholas Lombardo and Gavin Nix; great nieces, Anna Lombardo and Madeline Bloom; sister-in-law, Beth Williamson (Darren and son Alan). In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration at www.TheAFTD.org.
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