LOYD E. WATSON

Loyd Edward Watson was born in the Stapp community of Le Flore County, Oklahoma on July 12, 1923. He was number 10 in a line of 14 children born to William Franklin Watson and Arizona (Howze) Watson. He passed to eternal life on Sept. 20, 2018.

His life was driven by love of family, devotion to country and a commitment to the highest levels of honesty and integrity. He had a steadfast belief in God’s grace, love, and mercy.

Loyd married Bernice Pitman on March 22, 1947, in Heavener, Oklahoma. Later that year, they moved to Tyler to attend college. Loyd went to work at Winn Tile Company, a commercial contracting business. He eventually bought the business and sold it to Cassidy Jones Company when he retired in 1996.

During World War II, he was deployed overseas with the 87th Infantry Division and saw combat in France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany as an 81mm platoon sergeant with Patton’s Third Army. He spent the Christmas of 1944 in a foxhole fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded the Bronze Star for valor.

Loyd joined Dayspring United Methodist Church in 2017 where he faithfully attended with his family. He was previously a long time member of First Baptist Church in Tyler where he had served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher.

In March 2013, his wife Bernice preceded him in death. Also preceding him in death were his parents and three sisters, Eula Caldwell, Inez Vaughn, and Lillian Qualls. In addition, nine brothers, Ray, Andie, Albert, Frank, Ores, Ellis, Marvin, Dorsey and Volney, preceded him in death. Surviving him is his youngest brother, Bill Watson and his wife Rose of Hodgen, Oklahoma, a brother-in-law, Lafayette (Inez) Vaughn, two sisters-in-law, Hope (Dorsey) Watson and Jean (Volney) Watson and numerous nieces and nephews.

Also surviving him are his daughters, Vicky Watson and Vally Wyman and her husband Douglas, his beloved granddaughter, Wylie Shellhouse and her husband Grant. Pops will be profoundly missed and always remembered as a loving father and grandfather.

Visitation is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 24, 2018, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Stewart Family Funeral Home. Services will be held Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, at 1 p.m. at Stapp-Zoe Baptist Church in Le Flore County, Oklahoma, with Grant Shellhouse officiating. Loyd will be laid to rest next to his wife, his parents and a brother at the Hodgen Cemetery in Le Flore County, Oklahoma.

If you wish to make a memorial contribution, kindly consider The Salvation Army or the H.E. Butt Foundation, a Christian non-profit that hosts retreats and summer youth camps – www.hebfdn.org.

To view online, go to www.tylerpaper.com.