Ethel Marie Watson

Ethel Marie (Smith) Watson was born on March 22, 1942, to the late Woodrow Smith Sr. and Dorothy Mae Eure. She is a native of Princess Anne County, VA, and graduated from Princess Anne County Training School in 1961. Everyone in the family called her “Fuzzy” because she was born very hairy like a peach. She graduated from Norfolk State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Art Education in 1965. Ethel’s favorite art medium to practice was sculpture.

After graduating college, she taught art in the Hampton Public School System for two years. She met and married John Willie Watson Sr., and they had one son, John Willie “JW” Watson Jr.

Fuzzy and her new family then moved to Columbus, OH, where she became certified to teach in the Columbus Public School System. She was a devoted mother and homemaker. She often returned home to Virginia to visit family and would eat her favorite meal, blue crabs.

Ethel relocated back home to Virginia Beach, VA to be closer to her sisters and, sadly, she lost her one and only son, JW, in 2000. 

Ethel is predeceased by her parents, husband, son, brothers (James, Richard, and Woodrow Jr.); and one sister, Ora Belle Williams. She leaves to cherish her memory three sisters, Audrey Owens and Ernestine Hairston of Virginia Beach, VA, and Carolyn Harvey of Tulsa, OK; four sisters-in-law, Ella Smith and Katie Smith of Richmond, TX, Deborah Smith of Phoenix, AZ, and Sandy Whitehorn-Hicks (Thomas) of Ft. Washington, MD; two brother-in-laws, James Watson (Bessie) of Dillwyn, VA and Ervin G. Williams of Chesapeake, VA; nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and a host of cousins, relatives, and special friends.