Arta Dawne Shaw Watson

PERRY-

After a long battle with Early Onset Alzheimer’s, Arta Dawne Shaw Watson, 67, passed away peacefully with her devoted husband by her side on Sunday, January 24, 2016. A Service of Thanksgiving and Celebration for Her Life will be held on Wednesday, January 27, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. at Perry United Methodist Church. The family will visit with friends at a Reception in the Fellowship Hall at Perry United Methodist Church immediately following the service. A Private Burial will take place following the reception. The family welcomes memorial contributions to Alzheimer’s Association, 886 Mulberry Street, Macon, GA 31201 or www.alz.org.

Dawne was born in Birmingham, Alabama, to the late Rosamond Arthur Shaw and the late Sarah Frances Smith Shaw. Her family moved to Winter Park, Florida, when she was a young child, and it was there that she attended school and grew up. A graduate of Winter Park High School, she was a professional model during her teenage years. Upon graduation, Dawne attended Georgia Southern College, where she would become a Charter Member of Kappa Mu Chapter of Phi Mu Sorority, be chosen as the First Kappa Alpha Rose for the Delta Theta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Order, and would meet and eventually marry the love of her life, Terrell Draper Watson. Dawne and Draper moved to Minnesota where he would attend mortuary school, and she would work as a “stewardess” for Northwest Orient Airlines, now Delta Airlines. The couple returned to Draper’s hometown of Perry, Georgia, in 1970. Dawne became very active in the community, joining Perry United Methodist Church, where she served on the Board of Trustees, the Administrative Board, and was Former Chairman of the Parsonage Committee, and the Christadelphian Sunday School Class. She played the piano for the children’s Angel Choir, and Preschool Sunday School Classes for 20 years. Dawne was a Charter Member of the Sogadera Club, a ladies’ service league, and was active with Meals on Wheels and Brian Bowen Snax Sax. She was also a member of the Wednesday Afternoon Book Club. Dawne was very active in her children’s activities when they were young, always running the “Mom Taxi” to various events. One of her proudest accomplishments was helping to pioneer the Competition Cheerleading Squad at The Westfield School. Through the years, Dawne enjoyed playing tennis, snow skiing, water skiing, and traveling with her family to make memories of their time together that they would never forget. She had a true talent for decorating homes, enjoyed entertaining, and was thrilled to honor others’ special occasions with showers and parties. But Dawne’s passion in life, her heartbeat, was truly her family of whom she was most proud. She was the Office Manager at Watson-Hunt Funeral Home for over 30 years, but her first and foremost job was being a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. She raised her children to learn by her examples, always showing them her servant’s heart with selfless acts of kindness for others. A good friend, she was loved by so many and will dearly be missed by those whose lives she touched through the years, especially her family and friends. Dawne had an amazing light and presence about her, lighting up the room as she entered with her beautiful eyes and glowing smile. She was the epitome of a true Southern Lady, always “put together”, always reminding her daughter and granddaughters to “Wear your lipstick”. We rejoice in the fact that she is rid of her old body, and she has traded it in for a set of beautiful angel wings, which we know she is styling up with some bangle bracelets and sequined flats.

Left to cherish the memories of Dawne are her loving and devoted husband, Draper Watson of Perry; her sons and their wives, Terry and Jennifer Watson of Mountain Brook, Alabama, and Dr. Travis and Dr. Cameron Watson of Marietta; her daughter, Christen Watson; her precious grandchildren who lovingly referred to her as “Sugar”, Draper Watson, III, Forrest Ann Watson, Baker Watson, and Vivian Watson; her brother, Sterling Shaw (Sharon) of Birmingham, Alabama; her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Martha Lynn “Dee Dee” and Ed Hunt, of Braselton; two nieces; one nephew; two great-nieces; and two great-nephews.

Condolences for the family may be left in the online guestbook at www.watsonhunt.com. Watson-Hunt Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.

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