Funeral Services For John C. Watson

Funeral Services for John C. Watson, age 95, of O’Neill will be 10:30 am Wednesday, November 30, 2016 at the First United Methodist Church in O’Neill with burial in the O’Neill Cemetery including Military Rites by the O’Neill American Legion Simonson Post #93.  

Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, November 29, 2016 at Biglin’s Mortuary in O’Neill.  

John passed away on Friday, November 25, 2016 at the O’Neill Care and Rehabilitation Center in O’Neill. 

John Chenoweth Watson was born on July 10, 1921 near Inman, Nebraska to Ira and Ruth (Chenoweth) Watson.  He graduated from Inman High School in 1939. 

After one semester at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, John returned to O’Neill and started working at the First National Bank of O'Neill.  John married Betty Preston on June 14, 1945 in Wells, Minnesota.  The couple had four children, Ruth, Nancy, Richard, and John Robert.  Betty died in 1985 and John later married Glenice Johnson in 1987 in Kansas City, who brought her four children into the family, Mike, Mark, Vanessa, and Lana.

John also served in the US Army during two wars, first seeing action in the European Theater during World War II, including fighting in the Battle of the Bulge.  Secondly, for a short stint during the Korean War.  Through perseverance and hard work, John was able to work his way up from teller to Bank President.

After retiring, John and Glenice would travel to Arizona every winter for many years.  John loved to garden and take care of his yard.  He like to fish and golf, but also loved to dance.  He was an avid reader of the Omaha World Herald and the Wall Street Journal. 

John was a member and had served as a board member for the First United Methodist Church in O’Neill, the O’Neill American Legion Simonson Post #93, the O’Neill Golf Club, and the O’Neill Library. 
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John is survived by his wife, Glenice Watson of O’Neill; three children, Ruth Hansen of Laguna Beach, CA, Nancy Watson and partner, Gary White, of Dahlonega, GA, Richard Watson and his wife, Pamala, of St. Paul, MN; four step children, Mike Johnson and his wife, Marilyn, of Lyons, NE, Mark Johnson and his wife, Vicky, of Atkinson, NE, Vanessa Johnson of Omaha, NE, Lana Petersen and her husband, Rich, of Lyons, NE; 17 grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren; one brother, Sam Watson of Omaha; two sisters, Patty Opper of Arlington, VA, Carolyn Langley of Des Moines, IA; many nieces and nephews. 

John was preceded in death by his parents; his son, John Robert Watson; and one sister, Ruth Slusser.

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