Eddie Watson

Services for Mr. Eddie Watson, 79, of Kilgore will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, January 24, 2022, at the Chapel of Rader Funeral Home in Kilgore with Reverend Jake Wommer officiating. The family will receive friends on Sunday evening from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Rader Funeral Home in Kilgore. Mr. Watson completed his earthly journey on Friday, January 14, 2022, in Kilgore.

Eddie was born on December 21, 1942, in Parkersburg, West Virginia, he was the oldest of three children born to the late Avery Lynn Watson of Auburn, West Virginia and the late Pauline Roberts of Springfield, Ohio. He was a 1960 graduate from Northwestern High School in Ohio and was in the United States Army where he served in the Vietnam and Germany. After the military Eddie found his way to Texas and met Gracie in 1978 and was married four years later. He and Gracie started A-1 Baits of Kilgore in 1986 and has owned and operated the company for 36 years. Eddie also worked for Jackie Woods Oilfield services as a heavy equipment operator for 35 years. Everyone who met Eddie loved him because of his wonderful personality and radiant smile. He was a loving and caring husband, father, brother, grandfather and great grandfather and will be missed by all that knew him.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Desi and Ira J Roberts and paternal grandparents, Otis and Clara Watson.

Mr. Watson is survived by his wife, Gracie Watson of Kilgore; son, Tony Maxwell of Kilgore; sisters, Mary Watson Nath and husband Frank of Tampa, Florida and Judy Watson Miller and husband, Kenneth of Altus, Oklahoma; grandchildren, Tonyha Johnson and husband Justin of Castroville, Texas, Dustin Maxwell and wife Natalie of Mont Belvieu, Texas, Chas Maxwell and wife Teylor of Overton and Shelby Maxwell of Kilgore; nine great grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and other loving family members.