Ewart Goodell Watts

Dr. Watts was born May 2, 1915 in Amarillo, Texas, to Minnie (Keyser) and H. Bascom Watts. Ewart graduated high school from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio in 1932. He graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1936. He attended Duke University School of Divinity 1936-1938, and Yale Divinity School in 1938-1939.

Ewart married Louise Williams of Oklahoma City September 13, 1938.

He served several Texas churches, the longest being Asbury United Methodist in El Paso from 1946-1956. He was senior pastor at First United Methodist Church in Topeka, Kansas, from 1956-1972. In 1972, he was appointed the Editor-in-chief of the Methodist Publishing House in Nashville, Tennessee. After retirement from the Publishing house, he served as an associate pastor of West End United Methodist Church in Nashville from 1982–2008.

Ewart is preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Louise; his parents H. Bascom and Minnie Watts; and his sister Dorothy Dell Wheeler. He is survived by his three daughters, Joan (Tom) Mistler, Dee Dee (Drew) Vickers, and Janet (John) Bryant, eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Memorial Services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, December 9, 2017, at West End United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the “Watts Garden,” c/o West End United Methodist Church, 2200 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203.

Arrangements under the direction of Marshall Donnelly Combs Funeral Home, Nashville, Tennessee.