Joseph Earl Watts, 69, a native of Manchester, Ga., and a resident of Round Lake, Ill., died Sunday, May 8, 2011, after a short illness.
He was a 1966 graduate of Georgia Tech with a bachelor of chemical engineering degree and spent his career in the pulp and paper industry, primarily in sales. He enjoyed traveling with his work, especially throughout the South. He retired from Voith Paper in 2002. He and his wife, Linda, made their home in Fairhope for 23 years before moving to Brunswick, Ga., and then to Round Lake to be near their daughter and her family.
He was a member of Trinity Presbyterian Church while living in Fairhope and had more recently been an active member of Wildwood Presbyterian Church in Grayslake, Ill. He was a man of deep faith and great intellect, read voraciously, and never stopped learning.
He was also an avid duplicate bridge player and had achieved the rank of Life Master. He loved traveling with his wife, and they enjoyed some wonderful trips to the western U.S. and Canada. He also had a passion for college football and was an avid fan of his beloved Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, as well as the Alabama Crimson Tide.
His children were a great source of joy and pride, and he remained a very supportive and loving father. He was also very proud of his grandchildren to whom he had become “Granddaddy Joe.”
Survivors include his wife of almost 45 years, Linda Preston Watts; son, Preston Earl (Paula) Watts of Birmingham; daughter, Shannon Watts (Bill)?Sweetnam of Lake Forest, Ill.; sister, Emily (Bob) Armstrong of Aiken, S.C.; and five grandchildren, Will, Foster and Owen Sweetnam, Laurel Connolly and Patrick Watts.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 28 at Wildwood Presbyterian Church with visitation to follow.
The family requests memorial donations be made to the Library Fund, Wildwood Presbyterian Church, 18630 W. Old Gages Lake Road, Grayslake, IL 60030.
Arrangments are by Strang Funeral Chapel and Crematorium, Grayslake, Ill.
