Ray A. Watson

Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, December 14, 2014 at New Faith Community Church (formerly White’s Chapel Church) for Ray Watson, 84, of Gadsden, who passed away Wednesday, December 10, 2014. Rev. James O. Wallace, Rev. Sam Jones and Rev. Bill Davis will officiate. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery. Collier-Butler Funeral and Cremation Services is directing.

Mr. Watson was born in Easonville, AL on June 24, 1930 and graduated from Pell City High School in 1948, where he lettered in Basketball. Early in his life he sang with many gospel quartets and was a founding member of The Pioneers Quartet, who sang with many groups of that time. He did a lot of evangelistic work with many evangelistic preachers of our day. Serving the Lord with his gift of music was a huge part of Mr. Watson’s life… Because of his lifelong love of music, he met Jean, his wife of 64 years, served as Minister of Music at a number of area churches, as well as being an Ordained Deacon. Mr. Watson was a local business owner. He retired head of Computer Divisions at Anniston Army Depot, where he was a Computer Systems Analyst. It goes without saying that in addition to loving the Lord, he loved his family with his entire heart, and his family could not have had a better role model for a father and grandfather. Ray was truly a man that everyone loved and respected.

Mr. Watson was preceded in death by his father, Cliff Watson; mother, Minnie Watson; sisters, Donnie Watson, and Sara Watson Bynum; brothers, Tom Watson, and Harvey Watson; and son-in-law, Michael Paul Latham.

He is survived by his wife, Imogene Ledlow Watson; children, Michael Ray (Becky) Watson, Kenneth Wayne (Jill) Watson, Gina Watson Latham; grandchildren, Michael Ryan (Misty) Watson, Emily Watson (Kevin) Hicks, Lathan Blake Watson, Joshua Cole Watson, Jordan Michael Latham, Trey Alexander (Stephanie) Latham, and Taylor Ray Latham; 6 great-grandchildren; sister, Olean Watson Justice; “adopted daughter”, Zandra Galvez; and a host of nieces and nephew.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bob Moman, Tim Riley, Albert Morgan, Jimmy Wofford, and Dwight Hawkins.

Special thanks to Alacare Hospice; Christee H. Mashburn; Dr. Michael J. Rowland and his staff at the Joslin Diabetic Clinic; Reverend and Mrs. James O. Wallace; and Reverend and Mrs. Bill Davis.

The family will accept friends from 12:00-2:00 p.m. at the church prior to the service.

Online condolences may be made at www.collier-butler.com.