Watt

The Rev. Richard Leroy Watt, 81, of the Passavant Retirement Center in Zelienople, formerly of Worth Township, went to be with the Lord on Thursday.

He was born in Meadville, Crawford County, on Dec. 10, 1931, to Oliver Leroy Watt and Margaretta Laquisha Hughes Watt. He married Grace Marie Price on April 8, 1950.

He was a member and a former pastor of the Zion Baptist Church in Worth Township. He attended Cedarville College in Cedarville, Ohio, and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.

He received his pastoral ordination at the Lake Louavilla Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky. He, along with his wife, served numerous churches throughout the years and had a real interest in new church development in the American Baptist Churches denomination. During his retirement, he served as “minister at large” for the American Baptist Churches, including spending 10 years as the chaplain for the Bibleville Conference Center, in Alamo, Texas. He was a member of the American Baptist Churches Ministers Council in Valley Forge.

He enjoyed spending time with his family, sailing and kayaking.

Survivors include his wife, Grace, of the residence in Portersville; five daughters, Peggy A. Alben (Raymond) of Portersville, Dawn M. Shields (Rev. Dr. Victor) of Fairmont, W.Va., Susan Watt Shields of Grand Rapids, Mich., Jeanne C. Leach (Thomas) of Charlotte, N.C., and Nancy G. Miller (Phil) of Kalamazoo, Mich.; two sisters, Shirley Greer of Florida and Marilyn Krueger (Donald) of Meadville; two brothers, Clarence Watt (Anna) of Florida and William Watt (Linda) of Lake City, Pa.; 18 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents and one son-in-law, Jack Shields.

WATT — Friends of the Rev. Richard Leroy Watt, who died Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013, will be received Monday at the Zion Baptist Church, 154 Currie Road, Slippery Rock (Worth Township) from 11 a.m. until time of the funeral service at 12:30 p.m. The Rev. Dr. Victor Shields, son-in-law of Richard Watt, will preside.

Interment will follow in Zion Baptist Cemetery.

Arrangements are by the Smith Funeral Home, 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock.