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• Burial: Mountain View Cemetery, Iron County, Missouri, United States; Cremated - ashes interred in grave of her parents
• Created: 12 Oct 2011

Notes:

The Junior College of Flat River
presents
A MEMORIAL SERVICE AND BOOKLET
Honoring Its Gold Star Heroes
April 13, 1947

WILLARD WATSON
Willard Lee Watson, son of William A. Watson and Jetta L. Watson of Flat River, was born January 27, 1921. He attended the Junior College from September, 1939, to December, 1940. Being a member of the National Guard, he was called into active service before completing the first semester of his sophomore year in Junior College. He was first sent to Camp Robinson, Arkansas and later to California. During his training he never lost touch with the Junior College. Through the school paper and correspondence with friends and teachers he kept up with activities around the College. The same thing held true while he was serving as a machine gunner in the infantry during the Aleutian campaign.

Willard wanted to be a flyer. All during the hardships of warfare in the frozen North, he never gave up hope that some day he would become a pilot. He studied and worked constantly toward that end, and at last he got his chance. He was returned to the States for training in the air corps, and his first mission was to visit the Junior College and spread the good news among friends. Soon thereafter he was sent to California to begin his training. As usual he kept up his correspondence with friends around the College, sometimes dropping into the U. S. O. to make a recording instead of writing the conventional letter. During his period of' training, the biggest news he passed along was that on December 11, 1943, he married Wana L. Lewis of Des Arc.

After taking his preliminary flight training in California, Willard was sent to a field at Pecos, Texas, where he was graduated and received his commission as second lieutenant. Shortly thereafter, in the summer of 1944, he returned to the Junior College for a visit, quite proud of his wings and his bride, who accompanied him on the visit.

Not long after his visit here, Willard was sent overseas, and on September 28, 1944, he met death in an aircraft crash near Chartres, France.

Wana married Willard Watson on 11 Dec 1942. Willard was born on 27 Jan 1921 in Flat River, St. Francois County, Missouri, USA; died on 28 Sep 1944 in Chartres, Département d'Eure-et-Loir, Centre, France. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Wana married Edgar Eugene Lovelace in 1943, and was divorced in Aug 1973 in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Edgar (son of Thomas Polk Lovelace and Alice Long) was born on 09 Jan 1919; died in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• Created: 14 Jul 2014

Notes:

In July 2014 per Vela Lewis Nichols: Karens's 1st huband died when a tree fell on him.

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• Created: 14 Jul 2014

Notes:

In July 2014 per Vela Lewis Nichols: She lives in Florida and is a teacher. She is divorced.

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• Created: 14 Jul 2014