Dolly Watson

Dolly Marie Watson of Schaller, Iowa, made almost 101 trips around the sun before leaving this world and going on to the next. She slipped away peacefully on January 25, 2013. Dolly was born March 5, 1912, in Watertown, SD, the daughter of Walter and Rose Robar White and sister to 2Â½ year old Vernon. Rose left her family soon after Dolly was born. A single father with a newborn, Walter turned to his parents, Anna and Potter White, for help. They lived in Watertown where Potter ran a pool hall. Anna and Potter cared for the infant, Dolly, and eventually adopted her. When Dolly was 4 or 5, she and Anna left Watertown. Their possessions included a box containing a feather bed and a few good dishes. First they visited Uncle Sim and Aunt Daisy on a farm in Illinois where Dolly was entertained with stacks of funny papers and rides with Uncle Sim in his surrey with the fringe on top and his bobsled. Anna found work with a young couple with a new baby. From there it was on to Chicago where Anna kept house for a Jewish family and Dolly attended a predominantly Jewish school. From Chicago Anna and Dolly traveled by train to Omaha where they enjoyed family who were living there. After some time, they moved on to Denver where Anna worked in a dry goods store selling yard goods and earned a teaching certificate. Dolly attended school in Denver, but followed Anna to Evergreen, CO, when she acquired a job teaching there. Dolly spent many hours after school in the library waiting for her grandmother and fostering a life-long love of reading. Missing family, the two nomads returned to the mid-west and settled in Council Bluffs where Anna kept house for and they lived with the Lee Lockhart family. Mr. Lockhart taught instrumental music at Bloomer Junior High and Abraham Lincoln High School. Dolly attended both schools and was introduced to the clarinet and bass viol by Mr. Lockhart. In high school she participated in national orchestra contests where the Abraham Lincoln orchestra won a first and second place. They won many first place awards at the first all state contest held in Iowa City in 1928, the year Dolly graduated from high school. In 1926 Dollyâ€™s grandparents (adoptive parents) moved to Schaller where Dolly spent her summers working and playing with the Saturday night band on the downtown street corner. During the school year she lived with Charlie Beno, president of Benoâ€™s department store in Council Bluffs, and his wife. It was the Benos who taught Dolly to drive a car. Dolly took rural school teacher courses at Cedar Falls after graduation and taught for two years in the Hanover country school and two years at Eden #4. She bought a yellow 1928 Chevy convertible. If all the boys in town hadnâ€™t taken notice before, they soon did! She caught the eye of John Watson, a Schaller farm boy. They were married June 4, 1936, at Fort Crook, NE, where her brother Vernon was stationed in the army. John and Dolly moved to Johnâ€™s dadâ€™s farm where there was a Sears Roebuck house, but no electricity or running water. It was a hard year with drought in the summer and, in the winter, an over abundance of snow. By 1940 they had their feet on the ground and were blessed with their first son, Thomas John. James Kent followed in 1948 and Sue Ann in 1950. A busy farm wife and mother, Dolly found renewal through her relationships in Eastern Star, bridge, church activities, and other social clubs. She made an impression with her carefully manicured nails and stylish clothes. She enjoyed social events, but detested housework. She always said, â€œYou can write your name in the dust. Just donâ€™t write the date.â€ In the 1960â€™s Dolly attended BV College and earned a BA. She returned to teaching and taught 5th grade in Schaller for 17 years. Other teachers knew they could count on Dolly when they needed to know the meaning of a hard word or the correct pronunciation. Following retirement John and Dolly spent many winters at Canyon Lake, TX, where they enjoyed the company of friends and relatives. When Johnâ€™s diabetes forced him to seek dialysis, Dolly faithfully drove him to and from treatments and doctorsâ€™ appointments. John died in 1996. After Johnâ€™s death, Dolly continued to actively pursue life. Two of Schallerâ€™s oldest white haired ladies, Dolly and Dr. Velma Boston, were often seen packing up Dollyâ€™s red Cadillac and tooling down the interstate at 70 mph headed west. Sue told them to at least keep their speed down to their ages when driving through Montana. On their road trips they also went to Washington to visit Velmaâ€™s daughter and son-in-law. One of Dolly and Velmaâ€™s other memorable trips was to Fuji, New Zealand and Australia. When her mind and body began to fail, Dolly chose to move to Char Mac Assisted Living in Holstein. At 97 years of age, she was most interested in someone elseâ€™s cooking while her family cherished the constant care and supervision. Her intelligence, quick wit, and outspoken criticisms kept her caregivers entertained at both Char Mac and Good Samaritan Society where she spent her final days. Dolly leaves to mourn her three children: Tom and his wife Jan of Schaller, Jim and his wife Barb of Schaller, and Sue Rodgers of Meridian, ID; her grandchildren: Jeff (Lori) Watson of Sheldon, IA, Denise (Ed) Watson Hagen of Edina, MN, Laurie (Bryan) Glissman of Glendale, AZ, David (Katie) Watson of Nekoosa, WI, Jill (Jon) Swanson of Gretna, NE, Adam (Christi) Watson of Omaha, NE, Courtney Rodgers of Richmond, VA, and Trent Rodgers of Moscow, ID; her great-grandchildren: Patrick Regan of Menomonie, WI, Caroline Regan of St. Paul, MN, Danny Regan of Mankato, MN, Brittany Glissman of San Antonio, TX, Paige Glissman of Vancouver, WA, Owen Glissman of Glendale, AZ, Jacob and Evan Watson of Nekoosa, WI, Andrew, Avery, and Alex Swanson of Gretna, NE, and Jack Watson of Omaha, NE; sister-in-law Genevieve Watson of Pine, AZ; nieces and nephew, Beverly Jean Reaney of Mason City, IA, Gerald Watson of Pine, AZ, Joelle (Jim) Chapman of Pine, AZ, Susan Hawkins of Sedona, AZ, and Cindy Shoppman of Portland, OR. Dolly was preceded in death by: her husband John; her grandparents Anna and Potter White; her parents Walter and Rose Robar White; her brother Vernon White; her sister Evelyn Audiss; brothers-in-law George Watson and Chares McIntosh; sisters-in-law Marjorie Watson and Elizabeth McIntosh; and son-in-law Rich Rodgers.

Dolly Watson

March 5, 1912 - January 25, 2013