James Robert Watson

Born January 8, 1947 in Clarksburg, WV, Jim graduated from Victory High School in 1964 and four years later from West Virginia University, where he was a political science major and a member of the WVU Debate Society.

In 1971, he earned his Juris Doctorate from the West Virginia University College of Law, graduating in the Top 10 of his class. In addition, he earned recognition on the Commandant's List of the United States Army Judge Advocate School in 1971 before serving his country on active duty for the U.S. Army at Fort Eustis in Newport News, VA. An expert in construction law and respected litigator, Jim spent nearly 30 years at Steptoe & Johnson in the Clarksburg and Charleston, WV, offices, where he was a Partner and Construction Group Leader.

After moving to Richmond, VA in 2003, he practiced at three firms - Wallace Pledger; Hankins & Anderson; and Coates & Davenport - and also managed his own firm, Watson Trial & Litigation Group.

Jim met his future wife of 54 years, Geraldine "Jerry" Floyd, when they were in grade school and active members of Adamston United Methodist Church. They started dating when both were students at WVU and married in 1970, just before his final year of law school and her final year of nursing school. Jim loved history and the theater, often embarking on "history weekends" with Jerry, and was especially fond of visits to Colonial Williamsburg, where they honeymooned, Jamestown Settlement and Historic Jamestowne. The couple enjoyed many trips to New York City to see the sights and shows, including his favorite musical, "Hamilton."

In his early years, he loved spending his summers life-guarding at Buffalo Lake, and after moving to Charleston, he was an active member of First Presbyterian Church, a popular Sunday school teacher and interim minister for other churches. Jim also loved to travel, eschewing phone-app maps for a traditional map or his intuition, the music of Simon & Garfunkel, Elvis Presley (with whom he shared a birthday), Brandi Carlisle and country music (he taught himself to play guitar), many PBS shows like "Wait, Wait…Don't Tell Me" that complemented his wit and brilliance, and his West Virginia Mountaineers.

Above all, he loved being a dad, raising and mentoring two beautiful, strong and independent daughters, whom he encouraged and supported at every turn, and grandfather, cheering his grandchildren on as their biggest fan and making them laugh at a witty pun or dad/grandad joke.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents Arthur and Goldie (Handschumacher) Watson and his nephew Scott Watson.

He is survived by his wife Jerry and his loving children Chelsea (Sean) Ryan of Richmond, VA, and Ashley (Sean) Kennedy of Washington, D.C., grandchildren William, Ben and Harper Ryan, Sutton Flanagan and Katie and Dylan Kennedy, brother Gary (Vickie) Watson of Homosassa, FL, niece Tracy (Doug) Brenneman of Oakland, MD, cousin Betsy (Jim) Beamer of Richmond, VA, and their children Laura and Anna, and sisters-in-law Linda Huling of Westerville, OH, and Lettie (Ed) Furbee of Daniel Island, SC.

Funeral services will be held Friday, March 7 at 11 a.m. at Woody Funeral Home-Parham at 1771 N. Parham Road in Richmond. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Virginia Down Syndrome Association https://virginiadsa.org/