Clarence Edward Watson

Six Mile, SC

Funeral services to honor the life of Mr. Watson will be held at 11:00 AM Tuesday, August 9, 2022 in the Liberty Mortuary Chapel. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service from 10:00 until 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Park.

Clarence Edward Watson (C.E.) went home to be with Jesus on Sunday morning, August 7, at the age of 93 years. He died at his family homeplace in Six Mile, surrounded by his loving wife and family, who offered prayers, scripture, and music throughout the week to ease his journey toward heaven. A child during the Great Depression, Ed was born on the last day of 1928 to Mattie Mae Bolding Watson Looper and Clarence Franklin Watson. He is survived by his wife and companion of 73 years, Kathleen Gillespie Watson; his children, Carolyn (Ralph) Bolding, Cindy (Garnett) Watson, and Steve Watson; and his grandchildren, Katie (Geoff) McDowell, Brian (Jamey) Bolding, Gabe (Aleesha) Bolding, Jessica (Tyeler) Prater, Jon (Lauren) Bolding, Jahanna (Tim) Schwab, Josiah Bolding, Walker (Caitlin) Watson, Meggie (Josh) Roseborough, Jordan Harrison and Justice Harrison; 18 great grandchildren; his sister Doris (Boyce) Whitman, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by two sisters, Avanell Powell and Helen Abercrombie.

Throughout his life he entertained his family with stories of pranks and adventures from his childhood and long life in Pickens County.

Ed grew up on a small family farm during the Great Depression and worked at Judson Mill in Greenville starting as a teenager. He married Kathleen in 1949 at her parents’  home in Pickens, and they lived in Greenville until he was drafted to military service in 1951. He served as a corporal in the US Army in Leipheim, Germany, in the 28th Infantry Division, 628th Tank Battalion, as the tank driver for Lieutenant Colonel Zimmerman from 1951 – 1953, who is said to have called Ed the “best tank driver he ever drove with “, in spite of his sometimes-risky tank maneuvers in the icy German hillsides and farms.

Following his military service Ed began a 30-year career as a top sales agent and later district manager with Southland Life Insurance Company, retiring in 1984. He was a motivational and successful trainer and leader, and as a result, he mentored many young men as top sales agents, and he and Kathleen attended numerous insurance sales conventions with their Southland Life colleagues, traveling to places like Cuba, London, New York and Dallas.

As the oldest grandson in the large Watson family clan, Ed became a strong and commanding patriarch who could be tough but also tender and generous, with a sense of humor. He called himself the “Daddy Rabbit of his briar patch” on a hill above Kelly Mill Rd. His grandchildren knew him as their Papa, who taught them how to work and sing and pray. He created a small lawn service business to employ his Six Mile grandsons, and they all have stories of the life lessons and work ethic he instilled in them. He engaged in service to his church and community during his life, and especially during his retirement years, serving as a Mason and Shriner, and board member with the Six Mile Water District.

Ed was a lifelong member of Praters Creek Baptist Church and served his church in many ways. He was a Deacon for over 60 years, guiding the church through many decisions and changes that are part of the life of a community church. He led the music ministry as the music and choir director for decades and sang as a soloist and in various trios and quartets. He even took the maintenance and care of the church buildings to heart and with his family held the janitorial services for years. His faith in God was deep, guiding and filling his life with inspiration, gratitude, love for his family, neighbors, and church home, and always with music and song. With his wife Kathleen at his side for over 7 decades, his faith never faltered.

He and Kathleen loved to travel, and throughout their life together they took summer family vacations to North Myrtle Beach with their best family friends, the Carl and Francis Pilgrim family, Kevin, Robert and Marilyn. During retirement, they made numerous trips with best cousins Wayne and Jane Watson and more recently Leamon and Net Watson, exploring magnificent areas of the US including VT, Maine, the Pacific NW and Yellowstone, Texas, and the Grand Canyon. These trips enriched their family friendships and life and provided more stories of adventures.

But the home place at Ed’s “briar patch”, with its gardens and proximity to his family and church community, proved to be the place that nurtured Ed’s long and happy life with Kathleen and his deep faith in God.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Praters Creek Baptist Church, State Missions Fund.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.libertymortuary.com Liberty Mortuary is handling arrangements.

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