James Earnest (Earnie) Watson, age 80, of Springfield passed away Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018.
Earnie was born August 11, 1937 in Van, MO to James Parker and Opal Watson. He was a graduate of Bolivar High School class of 1955, and a veteran of the United States Army. Earnie was united in marriage to Dixie Purdy on November 3, 1976 in Miami, OK. He co-owned and operated Watson Brothers Drywall, retiring in 1990. Earnie enjoyed fishing and hunting and traveling. He was very active in the racing community, he was inducted into the Ozark Area Racers Association Hall Of Fame, as a racing pioneer. Earnie was a member of Crossway Baptist Church. He will always be remembered for the stories that he told. He never met a stranger.
Survivors include his loving wife Dixie; four children, Debbie Watson-Rogers and Mark Williams, Springfield, Mike Watson and Janelle, Springfield, Ron Lindsay and Leslie, Springfield, and Bill Purdy and Theresa, Springfield; grandchildren, Chris Lindsay, Sarah Rogers, Austin Mawhiney, Dalton Striegel; great-grandchildren, Amirah, Angel, and Cameron; sisters, Carol Sutherland and Janice Sharp; a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, one son-in-law, James Rogers, one brother, Afton Watson, brother-in-law, Jack Sharp and nephew, Sam Sharp.
The visitaion for Earnie will be from 10am-12pm, Saturday, January 6, 2017, at Crossway Baptist Church. Funeral services will be at 12pm, Saturday at Crossway Baptist Church with burial in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, in Earnie's name. Funeral services have been entrusted to Greenlawn Funeral Home North.