Watson Hardeman

A memorial service for Watson Hardeman, 80, of Tyler, will be held on Monday, May 17, 2010, at 11:30 AM at Green Acres Baptist Church Chapel with Dr. Darrell Dunks officiating. A private burial will precede the service Kilgore Memorial Gardens under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Mr. Hardeman passed away on May 13, 2010 in Tyler under the care of Hospice of East Texas. He was born December 27, 1929 in Lubbock to William and Vera McKinley Hardeman. Watson lived in Longview thru his elementary and high school years. He joined the Navy in 1948. Watson was a Radioman Second Class Petty Officer and operated on four different aircraft carriers around Korea from 1950-1952 including his first, the USS Valley Forge cv45. In 1952 he attended Kilgore Junior College and then went to the University of Texas at Austin where he graduated with a degree in Architectural Engineering in 1958. While attending UT Austin, he married Johnece Fout, of Kilgore, on May 23, 1954. Watson was employed with Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. (now AT&T) in 1957 and retired in 1990. He worked in the engineering, architectural and real estate sections of SWBT during that period and became registered as an Architect as well as a Registered Professional Engineer while employed there. Watson was a member of the AIA and Professional Engineers Society. His family has been active in various Baptist churches in Dallas, ST. Louis, MO., Houston as well as Hide-A-Way Lake Community Church, and Green Acres Baptist Church, Friendship Sunday School Class in Tyler. Watson served on various church and civic boards and was an active member in the local Korean War Veterans Chapter 286. His family and friends will remember Watson for his love for His Lord, his faith and his loving generous spirit. Watson was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Ruth Emch and brother Billy Hardeman. He is survived by his loving family including his wife Johnece F. Hardeman; daughter, Cristi Ann Ratcliffe and husband Sam of Dallas; son, John Scott Hardeman and wife Kathy of Grapevine; sister, Nancy Fulton of Dallas; sister-in-law, Mary Hardeman of Longview; grandchildren, Catherine, Caroline, Hunter, Hayden, Hilary, Harrison and Hudson; and several nieces and nephews. His children and grandchildren were the love of his life. Honorary pallbearers will be Friendship Sunday School Class. Memorials in lieu of flowers in honor of Watson Hardeman may be given to the Building Fund of Green Acres Baptist Church, 1607 Troup Highway, Tyler, Texas 75701, or Hospice of East Texas Foundation, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, Texas 75701. For more information or to express condolences, visit www.stewartfamilyfuneral.com.

Watson Hardeman

December 27, 1929 - May 13, 2010