Watson

Donald Whitman Watson, 81, of Worth Township passed away Feb. 6 at his home.

Born in Winchester, Mass., April 18, 1929, to Howard Watson and Marion Atkins Watson, he was a 1947 graduate of Stoneham High School, and in 1951, he received a bachelor's in geology from Tufts University in Medford, Mass.

A U.S. Army veteran, he served in the Intelligence Division, 29th Batallion Army Mapping Service in Tokyo, Japan.

In 1957, he completed his master's in geology at Washington State University and began employment as an assistant geologist in the Holden Mines in Holden, Wash.

On Feb. 18, 1961, he married Mary Lorraine Merry, and the newlyweds moved to Manitouadge, Ontario, Canada, where he began employment at the GECO Mines.

Dr. Watson began teaching at Slippery Rock University in 1968. He received his doctorate from the University of Michigan in 1970.

In his 27-year tenure at SRU, he taught general and structural geology, served as chairman of the geology department from 1974 to 1976 and was the recipient of the department's Professor Laureate Award. Upon his retirement in 1995, he was honored as professor emeritus by the university's administration and faculty.

Dr. Watson was a member and past president of the Pittsburgh Geological Society. He was also a member of the Geological Society of America, the National Association of Geology Teachers, Sigma Xi, the Fellows Geological Association of Canada and the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

In his free time, Dr. Watson volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America and lectured on the geology of McConnells Mill and Moraine State Park. He enjoyed gardening, reading and photography.

Survivors include his wife, Mary L. of Slippery Rock; a daughter, Lorraine E. and her husband, David, A. Fourney, of Gaithersburg, Md.; a son, David W. Watson of New Castle; a brother, Blake M. Watson of West Yarmouth, Mass.; and three grandchildren, Jennifer N., Kimberly N. and Ian A. Fourney, all of Gaithersburg, Md.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

<B>WATSON</B> — A memorial service for Donald Whitman Watson, who died Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, will be at the <B>Smith Funeral Home</B>, 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock, Saturday, Feb. 19, with guests arriving at 11 a.m. and services starting at 1 p.m. Private interment will be in Mayflower Cemetery, Duxbury, Mass.Memorial contributions may be made to the Howard Watson Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Mary Appleyard, Stoneham High School, 149 Franklin St., Stoneham, MA 02180.