Bill Watson

Directly descended from one of the first British families to emigrate to North America, William Burton Watson was born on January 12, 1953, in Albion, Nebraska, to Howard "Budd" Burton Watson and Virginia Lee (Bobbitt) Watson. He died on October 12, 2026, at Kearney Regional Hospital in Kearney, NE.

Bill attended Albion Public Schools and Shattuck Military Academy in Faribault, Minnesota. He graduated from Albion High School in 1971. After graduating he attended Creighton University in Omaha, majoring in accounting. He also attended the University of Nebraska and Midland College.

After college Bill worked at several jobs finally settling on the position of Cashier at the Bank of St. Edward, Nebraska. After seven years there he moved to Lincoln, Nebraska becoming Ass't Vice President of South Ridge Bank. After seven years there he and several others purchased the Security State Bank in Ansley, Nebraska with Bill becoming President and C.E.O. This was re-organized into the First Morrill Co. which also owned the First National Bank in Morrill and also the banks in Minatare and Henry, Nebraska. After seven years the majority stockholders retired and the corporation was split up with Ansley going on it's own under Bill and the other banks going under Charles T. Karpf, Jr. After eight years Bill sold out to his partner and retired.

Bill was first married to Janeen Leone Haave on November 1, 1972, that marriage ended in divorce. Bill then married Susan K. Riggle of Lincoln on December 18, 1982, that marriage also ended in divorce. Bill finally married the love of his life, Joan Marie Catlett, on April 26, 1997.

Bill and his wife, Joan, lived on their farm North of Ansley. Bill was a lifelong Anglican later converting to Roman Catholicism with his wife. He was a member of St. Josaphat's parish in Loup City, Nebraska. Bill was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Sons of the American Revolution as well as Nebraska-Right to Life and the Cardinal Newman Society.

Bill's hobbies included skeet and sporting clays shooting, fishing and researching both his and his wife's family histories.

Bill is survived by his wife, Joan, his brother Henry of Fortaleza, Brazil and three children from his second wife Susan: Tiffani (Donald James) Harris of Spring, Texas, Nicolas (Anna) of Amarillo, Texas and Arianna of Tucson, Arizona, one grandchild Averee Watson of Amarillo, Texas,

stepchildren Brooke Case of North Platte, Nebraska and Sean Case (Judi) of Jacksonville, Florida, step-grandchildren, Braden Case and Nevaeh Meston of North Platte, Nebraska, Simon Case of Jacksonville, Florida and Sarah Case of Brisbane, Australia, cousins: Richard Allen (Mary) Watson of Aurora, Colorado, Glenn Burton “Burt" (Linda) Watson of Albion, Nebraska, Gerald E. (Karen) Brown, Jr. Of Omaha and Francis (Dixie) Watson of Spokane, Washington.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, one Uncle, William Anderson Watson and one Aunt, Elizabeth Norine (Bobbitt) Brown and four cousins, Virginia Sue (Brown) Machann, Thomas Bruce Brown, Elizabeth Ann (Brown) Jasa and Thomas Arthur Watson.

Private family graveside services will be held for his cremains at the Westerville Cemetery.

From "Horatius"

"To every man upon this earth

Death cometh soon or late

And how can man die better

Than facing fearful odds,

For the ashes of his fathers,

And the temples of his Gods?"

Thomas Babington Macaulay