Austin Watson, 78, of Ooltewah, died on Monday, Feb. 14, 2005.
He was born in 1926 in Cleveland, TN, to the late Cecilia and Jasper Watson.
He recently was selected to the Bradley County Sports Old Timers Hall of Fame and selected as Old Timer of the Year. He served his country in the Navy as a signalman 3rd Class on the USS Nelson during World War II.
After serving in the Pacific he returned home on leave and married his high school sweetheart, Billie Jo Wiley.
Mr. Watson was the owner of Mountain View Ford and Mountain View Nissan. He was a past president of both the Chattanooga Automobile Trade Association and the Tennessee Automobile Trade Association.
He was a member of Ooltewah Baptist Church, a 32 nd-degree Mason, a Shriner, a Jester, past worthy patron of the Order of the Eastern Star and a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. He was an avid sportsman and fisherman, enjoying deep sea fishing immensely.
His brother, Richard Watson, preceded him in death.
He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Billie Watson; two daughters and sons-in-law, Carla and Alan Cawood and Sally Jayne and Steve Greg, both of Ooltewah; two sons and daughters-in-law, Don and Beverly Watson, Harrison, and David and Debbie Watson, Lookout Valley; a nephew, Andy and Sonya Watson, Cleveland; 13 grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Thelma Swafford, and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, at Ooltewah Baptist Church with the Rev. Tony DeYoung, the Rev. Reed Wright and the Rev. Burl McMillan officiating.
Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Cleveland, TN.
Grandsons Jay Raschke, Clay Watson, Austin Watson, Chase Watson, Logan Watson, Dustin Mitchell, Michael Cawood and Douglas Cawood will serve as pallbearers.
Condolences may be sent at www.heritagefh.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The American Heart Association.
The family will receive friends Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga.