Janet Watson

Janet Elaine Watson, age 99, passed away peacefully on April 23, 2024, at Thurston Woods Village Villa.

She was born May 08, 1924, in Sturgis, Michigan, and spent her early life growing up on Crotch Lake (Omena Lake). The daughter of the late Homer and Helen Eshelman.

She married Lawrence Benjamin Watson, DVM, in Colon, Michigan, on July 3, 1945.

Janet, together with her husband, set up and managed a mixed veterinary practice in Colon for 51 years, later retiring to Arizona in the 1990s.  She later relocated to Florida in February 2016, and then back to Three Rivers, Michigan in February 2018.

She enjoyed golfing, playing cards, bowling, traveling, bingo, needlepoint, U of Arizona Basketball, and her family. Especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

While she served as past board member of the Klinger Lake Ladies Golf Association, she obtained college credits for her needlepoint acumen, and was a master of shorthand.   The shorthand was a skill that helped her secure work as a young single woman in the 1940s, and later, she used it to frustrate her children at Christmas time when they could see what she had purchased for them, but they had no way of decoding her script.

She is survived by her daughter Candace (Joseph) Downing of Three Rivers, MI, her brother Gary (Christa) Eshelman of Green Valley, AZ, and daughter-in-law Linda Watson of Holland, MI.   Grandchildren, Nathaniel (Shannon) Pierson of Portland, OR, Rachel Pierson of Willis, TX, Emily Pierson of Telluride, CO, Jordan (Kirstin) Pierson of Three Rivers, MI and Jennifer Watson of Phoenix, AZ. Two great granddaughters Lachlan Pierson and Stella Pierson.  She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two sons Lawrence B. Watson, Jr. and Thomas C. Watson, one grandson Jeremy W. Clark, and one grandson-in-law Thomas Grube.

Per her request cremation has taken place and there will be no service.

The family suggests memorial gifts be made in Janet’s name to your favorite charity.  

While visiting Janet’s webpage at www.amsfuneralhomes.com please sign the guestbook and/or share a memory with the family. 

The family is being assisted by the Avink Funeral Home & Cremation Society, 129 S. Grand St. in Schoolcraft. 269 679-5622