Obituary of Linda Sue Watson

Linda Sue (Rabe) Watson of Tucson AZ was born November 12, 1946, to Fred and Lucille (Brody) Rabe of Villa Park Illinois. She is eldest among siblings Fred (Pickett), Sue (Schlottman), Carol (Klepek) and Jill (Anderson). Linda married her teenage sweetheart, Herbert F. Watson, at age fifteen with whom she remained life-long friend for 60 years, raising three children and suffering the loss of beloved son, Alan Joseph Watson, in 2001. Linda is survived by daughters Lisa Watson (m. Lisa Marsh) of South Pasadena CA and Sheila Watson (m. Dave Tryon) of Camarillo CA, daughter-in-law Donna (Zawodniak) of Surprise AZ, and six grandchildren, Nic, Amanda, Alice, Irene, Courtney, and Brad, as well as three great-grandsons, Arlo, Nolan and Keen. Linda also felt a rich connection with the many children and grandchildren of her siblings, whom she treasured.

Those who know Linda recall her passion for animals (especially cats), her love for music and popular culture (especially Elvis), her quick wit, sarcasm, and beautiful smile. She had an appetite for trying new things, from belly dancing to Buddhist meditation, from learning the keyboard to playing the bongos. In recent years, Linda was delighted to learn that new things in her life would come to include a new connection with a long-lost arm of her family tree, the King Daniel Ganaway descendants of Murfreesboro, TN, whom she visited for a family reunion in 2017. Linda’s greatest pride has always been her family.

Linda passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 25, 2021, following an eight-month struggle with progressive Lewy Body Dementia disease. She will be greatly missed.