Obituary of James Watson

Dr. James Ollin Watson, Sr. COLUMBIA, SC-- James Ollin Watson, Sr., born on May 16, 1914, in Berrien County, GA, departed this life for his eternal home on Friday, September 17, 2010, in Columbia, SC. He was predeceased by his parents, Mima Hendley and Isaac Linton Watson; maternal grandparents, Sarah Catherine Boyette and Manasseh Hendley; and paternal grandparents, Dicy Guthrie and William Henry Watson. Watson was educated at Rock Hill School in Berrien County through the fourth grade. He attended 5th and 6th grade at Milltown, later known as Lakeland, GA. A move from the family farm to the City of Nashville allowed Watson to graduate from Berrien County High in 1932 where he played right guard on the basketball team and quarterback for the football team. He also played the saxophone in the Community Band. Watson continued his education at Textile and Industrial Institute (TII), now known as Spartanburg Methodist College. He was baptized and ordained by Converse Baptist Church in Converse, SC on November 13, 1936. That same year, he graduated with a B.A. degree from Bob Jones University. In 1937, he married his college sweetheart, Frances Elizabeth Scott, at the home of her parents, Charles Maxwell and Clara Elizabeth Turner Scott, in Union, SC. From 1937-1938, Rev. Watson served as a freelance evangelist/singer in South Georgia. He baptized over 500 people during this period. He then pastored Walker Baptist Church in Monroe, GA, and West End Baptist Church in Athens, GA. In 1943, Watson was called to pastor Calvary Baptist Church in Clinton, SC. While there, he enlisted in the Army. He completed Military Chaplain School of the US Army at Harvard in 1944. He served in the 100th Infantry Division of the Army as a chaplain in the European theater during World War II. Captain Watson received two bronze stars for this military service. After the war ended, he returned to Calvary Baptist Church. He later helped form Highview Baptist Church in Highview, KY. Today, this church has six separate campuses. In 1950, Watson received a B.S. degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY and was appointed by the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board (now the International Mission Board) as a foreign missionary. In 1950-51, the Watsons attended language school in Costa Rica. Armed with the language and the Word, Watson quickly embraced the customs and culture of South America.In 1952-53, he served as a church planter in Rosario, Argentina. From 1953-62, he served as district missionary in Buenos Aires, Argentina. While on furlough to the United States, Watson earned his Th. M. degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The Watsons were assigned to Asunción, Paraguay from 1962-1978 where he served as chaplain of the Asuncion Baptist Hospital and taught at the Baptist Theological Institute and Nursing School. After receiving his APHA Certification from Bowman-Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University, Watson pioneered pastoral clinical education in Latin America by instituting a chaplain's program at the Asunción Baptist Hospital. In 1979, Watson transferred to Bagio City, Philippines, where he helped inaugurate the Department of Pastoral Care at the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary. In 1980, Watson attained his D. Min. degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He returned to the Philippines and taught in the pastoral care program until retirement in 1981. After retiring from his foreign mission career, Dr. Watson pastored the Hispanic congregation at Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Watson, known for the deep passion of his convictions, helped many struggling seminary students by creating and supporting various scholarships and endowments. He was known as a loyal friend, trusted confidant and a man who walked his daily journey with an ever-present knowledge of who he was and where he was going. His Lord and Savior came first in his life. Watson was predeceased by his first wife, Frances Elizabeth Scott Watson, in 1990; his second wife, Lois Pridmore Emfinger Watson, in 1999; and youngest son, Robert Mac Watson, Sr., on Thursday, August 12, 2010. An ardent Christian leader, Dr. Watson taught Sunday School and served as a deacon at Kilbourne Park Baptist Church in Columbia, SC as long as his health permitted. Dr. Watson is survived by two sons, James Ollin Watson, Jr. of Atlanta, GA and William Scott Watson of Centerville, VA; two daughters-in-law, Dinah Harrison Watson of Atlanta, GA and Anne Fitts Watson of Charleston, SC; ten grandchildren, Michael James Watson (Lisa) of Marietta, GA, Lesley Elizabeth Watson Stokes (Gary) of Delray Beach, FL, John Victor Watson of Atlanta, GA, James Vernon Watson of New York, NY, Geoffrey Scott Watson, Gisette Raquel Watson Brown (Zach), Kevin Lee Watson (Veronica), Zabrine Cherie Watson all of Virginia, Robert Mac Watson, Jr. (Tammy) of Belmont, NC, and Scott Alan Watson of Demopolis, AL; 8 great-grandchildren; one sister, Mildred Watson Pelt of Marianna, FL; four sisters-in-law, Martha Helen Scott Driggers of Destin, FL, Mary Kathryn Scott Bishop (Carl) of Fountain Inn, SC, Margaret Jeanelle Scott Wingo (Bill), and Carol Turner Scott Rector (Jack), of Union, SC, and numerous nieces and nephews.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Emfinger Scholarship Fund, Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208; Northside Park Baptist Church, PO Box 19917, Atlanta, GA 30325, or Kilbourne Park Baptist Church, 4205 Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29206. Visitation will be from 3:00-6:00 PM Sunday, September 19, 2010, at Thompson Funeral Home, 200 State Street, West Columbia, SC. Funeral Services will be held at Kilbourne Park Baptist Church on Monday, September 20, 2010, at 2:00 PM. Interment will be at Arlington Memorial Park in Atlanta, GA on Wednesday, September 22, 2010, at 3:30 PM with Dr. Vincent B. Smith, III, officiating. The grandsons and nephews will serve as pall bearers. The family is most grateful to all who befriended and attended to Dr. Watson during his extended illness. He dearly loved his Kilbourne Park Church family, his special neighbors, and his physician, Dr. Bradley Word. Special appreciation is extended to all in the Columbia Marriott who became extended family during this lengthy illness. Appreciation is also extended to Mrs. Mary Riley, Equifax, LLC, Thompson Funeral Home and Turner Funeral Home for going above and beyond for the Watson family during this difficult time. Please sign online guest book at www.thompsonsfuneral.com.