Janet Chamberlin Watson

Janet was born on November 9, 1945, in Midland, Texas, the daughter of Charles Chamberlin and Mickey O’Neal. She was born at Station Hospital, 2528th AAF Base Unit, Midland Army Airfield, while her father was serving as a Power Station Operator for the 554th Signal Air Warning System Battalion near the Panama Canal. He was notified of her birth by telegram.

Janet grew up primarily in Midland, Texas, where she attended school and participated in many competitions for 4-H and livestock shows where she showed lambs. Janet excelled in 4-H and organized many events and workshops, participated in demonstrations and dress reviews, and competed in Citizenship Recording, Food, Public Speaking, and Dress Revue categories. She advertised and shared 4-H activities regularly on radio and in newspapers. Janet did so well in 4-H, that in 1963, she was chosen as a member of the Texas Delegation for 4-H, and attended the National 4-H Club Congress in Chicago, Illinois.

Some of her honors in 4-H include:

Gold Star Girl - 1960

District Winner in Citizenship Record – 1960, 1961, 1962

Runner-Up for the J.T. Rutherford Achievement Award – 1961

County Winner of Favorite Food Show – 1961, 1962

Blue Ribbon State Award – 1962

County Winner in Dress Revue – 1962

District Winner in Public Speaking – 1959, 1961

District Winner of Cooperative Demonstration – 1963

She graduated from Midland High School in 1963, then attended Odessa College. In March of 1967, she began working as a drafter for Schlumberger. She worked there for eight years.

While attending Midland High, she met and dated Dale Wilson, whom she married in August of 1964. In March of 1966, Kimberlyn Kerry was born in Midland. Sadly, in January of 1967, Dale passed away. Kim was 10 months old.

In September of 1969, Janet’s sister, Lori and Lori’s boyfriend, Bobby, decided to play matchmaker. They introduced Janet to Bobby’s brother, Charles Ray Watson. Charles and Janet’s connection was instant. On their second date, Charles included Kim in the fun, and that’s when Janet knew he was the one. Three months later he proposed, and they were married in Midland on December 31, 1969. They were married for 56 years.

In September of 1970, William Benjamin was born, and then in November of 1975, Mick O’Neal came along.

While living in Midland, Janet was never still. Carrying on from her 4-H days, she continued to sponsor the younger girls in the organization, showing them the ropes and teaching them how to create and lead.

And since Charles was an artist, he was put to work, as well, making anything Janet needed.

In 1977, Janet and Charles began learning how to square dance. This turned into another talent for the both of them, and they held various offices over the years and danced across the state and country. Eventually, Charles became a caller, and then the pair were chosen to coordinate and direct the National Fashion show in 1987 at the Astro Arena in Houston, Texas. They received a standing ovation for their work.

In the summer of 1989, they moved to Houston, where Charles worked for Fluor-Daniel as a Draftsman. They continued square dancing and creating, and soon Janet was making scrapbooks and quilts.

Janet was a master quilter and won many ribbons for her quilts in local and state-wide quilt shows, even being juried into the Houston International Quilt show. At the MQX Quilt Show in New Hampshire in 2014, she and her daughter, Kim, won the Faculty Award.

In 2003, Charles and Janet bought the Red Barn Quilt Retreat in Coldspring, Texas, and made a haven for quilters and scrapbookers. Charles cooked and Janet taught. Her expertise in sewing created many new quilters and kept many of them from pulling their hair out. Her ability to design was unparalleled.

Charles’ and Janet’s talents at the Red Barn Retreat were put on display in Southern Living Magazine in January of 2006.

Along with all of this, Charles and Janet toured Texas and the country with a travel trailer and grandkids in tow. Janet loved getting out and seeing things, experiencing new places, and learning new things. And she wasn’t afraid to drag everyone with her.

She and Charles became well-known “letterboxers” during their travels, and she went by “Lone Star Quilter” or LSQ for short.

She loved birds, but that’s not the right word. She adored them. She became an avid birder and visited spots all over the country to find and take pictures of different birds.

After selling the Red Barn, she and Charles moved to New Caney, Texas.

Janet lived her life well. She did so with the knowledge that the Lord was always protecting her and guiding her. She was a gracious hostess, never wanting anyone to go unnoticed or unknown.

Janet loved her family. Family was extremely important to her, which prompted her to also become a genealogist. Over the years, she hunted for records in libraries, courthouses, graveyards, and cemeteries to find her ancestors and learn about the people who came before her. She chronicled the lives of generations of Chamberlins and Watsons, learning so many fascinating things.

She loved growing up in Midland. She adored her granny and granddad and spent many hours on the O’Neal farm. She listened avidly to their stories, and her children and grandchildren have benefited from her dedication to her roots.

Janet Watson was an artist and master at everything she did. She was a creative genius, who inspired many others to delve into their own creative talents. She loved learning from others and always sang their praises.

She was a loving and dedicated daughter, a fun and helpful sister, a devoted and happy wife, a loving and caring mother, a sweet and adoring granny, and a loyal friend. For her, her family and friends were her “everything”. If you were with Janet, you were going to feel at home. You were also gonna have your picture taken in every which way possible, because memories, for Janet, had to be made.

And now her family benefits from that care she took, because her scrapbooks tell the story. She has told her story and has left behind a legacy that will go on for generations with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Her smile and gentle laughter will live in our memories, and she will be greatly missed by many.

Remaining to cherish Janet’s memory are spouse, Charles Watson; children, Kim Norton, Will Watson, and Mick Watson; Son-In-Law, Eric Norton; Daughter-In-Law, Kara Watson; Granddaughter-In-Law; Zahida Norton; grandchildren, Colby Norton, Rachel Watson, Jacob Watson, and Noah Watson; great-grandchildren, Oliver Norton and Emilio Norton; sisters, Lori Watson and Lynn Chamberlin; Brothers-In-Law, Jerry Watson, Bobby Watson, Randy Watson; Sisters-In-Law, Andra Chamberlin, Earleen Slough, Shirley Hartman, Jan Watson, Paulette Watson, and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding Janet in death are parents, Charles and Micky Chamberlin; her first husband, Dale Wilson; grandchildren, Bradley Norton; brother, Chuck Chamberlin; Brother-in-Law, Joe Slough; Daughter-in-Law, Sheila Watson; Nephew, Andy Hartman and Niece, Miranda Watson.

Visitation will be held on February 26, 2026, at 4:00 PM at Ellis Funeral Home in Midland, Texas. Graveside services will be held on February 27, 2026, at 11:00 AM at Resthaven Memorial Park, with Tim Abbott officiating.

Honorary Pallbearers: Bradley Norton (in loving memory), Colby Norton, Rachel Watson, Jacob Watson, Noah Watson, Oliver Norton, and Emilio Norton

Memorial donations in Janet's memory, in lieu of flowers, may be directed to Friends of South Llano at Friends of the South Llano River State Park | SLRSP | Junction, TX, USA.