David Mark Watson was born November 19th,1942 in Marrickville, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He passed peacefully, and on his terms, at home in West Jordan, Utah on November 7th, 2022. He was just twelve days shy of his 80th birthday.
David was the eldest child of six, born to Margaret Tarbert Watson and Oswold Ezra Watson. His early childhood was spent picking apples and other fruit on the family farm in Tasmania. The young Watson family sailed by ship on the Pacific Ocean, emigrating to Alberta, Canada, where David attended elementary school. He helped his father and mother with chores and with the care of his brothers and sisters. These were hard times, and he had to grow up fast. When David was a teenager, the family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. He became a United States citizen, on February 15, 1962.
David was a graduate of East High School in Salt Lake City. He served an LDS mission to Scotland, where his mother was born. She was able to join him at the end of his mission and they toured Europe together. Upon his return, he joined the Utah National Guard, where he served for seventeen years, attaining the rank of Sgt. First Class. He graduated from the University of Utah on August 16th, 1975, with a Master’s degree in Education.
He married Mary Kathleen Yates on April 1st (April Fool’s Day), 1966. They were married for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple. They nurtured two children, daughter Felicia and son Daniel, living in various places in Utah, Idaho, and Washington. David built two of the homes the family lived in almost entirely by himself and a third for his father and mother. He renovated several additional homes. He was a self-taught builder, and this was a deep passion of his.
David was a devoted teacher and school administrator, whose career spanned twenty years. He loved to learn and was a human encyclopedia before Google existed. His curiosity and quest to learn were among his greatest strengths. He was an avid reader with a special affinity for Westerns written by Louis L’Amour. He couldn’t watch enough Westerns or M*A*S*H and was never tired of the reruns.
He enjoyed the outdoors and spent his honeymoon camping and fishing. He was a Scout Master and a graduate of the Wood Badge Scout Leadership program. He enjoyed driving and seeing new scenery and had an amazing memory with vivid details about the places he had visited. These road trips were made more memorable by the spontaneous conversations he would strike up with anyone that he met along the journey.
He loved not only to talk to people but also to help people. He combined his skill with woodworking into making toys for children and donating them to charitable organizations. His toys found their way across the globe, and this was one of the last memories he shared, so it clearly brought him joy.
His greatest fondness was for his family. He worked tirelessly, starting as a son and helping his parents, and then as a husband and father to provide a safe and comfortable home. His work ethic was a great example for his children. He was a skilled genealogist, extremely proud of his lineage. He spent countless years researching, documenting, and writing family histories that will keep his story and the history of generations of ancestors preserved.
David will be greatly missed by his wife, children (including spouses), grandchildren, a great-grandson, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends. May we all be blessed with your vivid recall of the best memories we shared. You have left an indelible imprint on all of our lives in very personal ways. It is now our turn to carry your legacy in our hearts and continue to make you proud.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 E. 10600 S. Sandy, Utah, where David will be honored with a bagpipe and military ceremony. Friends and family are invited to gather to celebrate his life, immediately following the service, at the LDS church located at 6567 S. Wakefield Way, West Valley City. In lieu of flowers, please consider a kind donation to the lovely and dedicated healthcare providers at Utah Hospice that helped care for and give comfort to David and his family in his final days with us.
First Hello, Last Good-bye
You had all the answers
Why the sky was blue
how to multiply two by two
You loomed so big
and walked so spry
I couldn't keep up,
but it was sure fun to try
Walking in your footsteps
was my childhood glee
Imagining my future
and who I would be
Your broad, strong hands
enveloped mine
even though afraid
you said, "it's fine"
I trusted that safety
and the fear did fade
It's back again
You left us here
Promising to still be near
But the safety is gone
Left with the question,
How to go on?
You were the one
with the wise remarks
Maybe that's why
I feel so in the dark
The memories bridge the
expanse between us
Your pace now well ahead
has separated our journeys
Your imprint remains
as does the yearning
to return to a simpler era
Where I could catch up
with a fast little run
To ask the burning question,
Daddy, what's one plus one?
By Felicia Ako (daughter)