(From the Benton Courier newspaper, Benton, Ark.)
David R. Watson, 75, of Benton, died on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 after a long illness. He was born Dec. 27, 1933, the fifth of nine children born to William Pugh and Bessie T. Watson in Pugh in Ashley County.
Mr. Watson was an honors graduate of Crossett High School in 1952. Upon graduation from Arkansas A&M (now the University of Arkansas at Monticello) in 1956, Summa Cum Laude, with a degree in chemistry and mathematics, he immediately went to work for Reynolds Metals Co. as an analytical chemist in its research lab. In 1957 he was promoted to project director – ceramics, and over the next 30 years he obtained 15 patents involving products and processes in the United States, Britain, Canada, and Japan.
Mr. Watson prepared and presented numerous technical papers to the American Ceramic Society and customers and was elected to the prestigious honor of “Fellow” of the Society in 1976. He retired in 1993 as manager of the Alumina and Ceramics Research Laboratory and vice president of Malakoff Industries, a subsidiary of Reynolds International.
After retirement, Mr. Watson served as a consultant to Randolph Reynolds, vice chairman of Reynolds for the next seven years. His favorite pastimes when he was not working were quail hunting and fishing.
Mr. Watson was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, James Turner Watson and William C. Watson.
Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Sue; son Kirk Watson and wife Cheryl, daughter Diane Howe and husband Allen of Noblesville, Ind.; three grandchildren, Jennifer, Kristin and Julian Watson; three sisters, Elizabeth Bays and husband T.M. and Alice Swilley and husband John, all of Crossett, and Cynthia Hollis and husband Charles of Fountain Hill; a brother, Tommy Watson and wife Joyce of Olathe, Kan.; and several nieces and nephews.
Family Comments: His family wishes to express their sincere respect and appreciation for his long time treatment by the staff and nurses of the Congestive Heart Failure Clinic of the Arkansas Heart Hospital, and also to the caregivers of Fresenius, Saline Memorial Hospital and Saline Memorial Hospice.