Vincent J. “Vince” Watson Sr. of Milwaukie and former longtime Hermiston resident, died on April 15, 2019 in Milwaukie at the age of 86.
He was born on Aug. 1, 1932 to Elmer L. Watson and Beryl Maybelle (Cellers) Watson in Drain.
Vince’s family moved to Hermiston in 1936. He attended Hermiston Grade School and graduated from Hermiston High School in 1951. Vince married Joy S. Estle in 1951 in Hermiston. They raised three sons in Hermiston until moving to Umatilla in 1973. They divorced in 1979.
Vince was a jeweler and watch repairman. He founded Watson’s Jewelry in 1965 at 138 East Main, Hermiston, and he was a Main Street fixture for decades.
He served on the Hermiston Baseball Commission when Weber Field was built and coached the American Legion baseball team for three years.
Vince was a “car person” and enjoyed driving, restoring and collecting cars. He was a member of the Meyers Professional Racing team for several years.
He was a member of the Umatilla School District Budget Committee in the 1980s. A member of the Kiwanis Club, Vince received the Hermiston 1988 Kiwanian of the Year Award for his leadership on many club projects. By October 1988, Vince had a record of 17 years of perfect attendance at Kiwanis club meetings.
On August 5, 1995, he married Claudell Metzger in Gresham. They traveled through much of the Pacific Northwest, but their most extensive trip was a photo safari in Africa. Vince and Claudell divorced in 2004.
Vince is survived by his siblings, Norma Bergstahler and Elmer Duane Watson; his sons, Vince Jr. (Annette Reese), Terry D. (Anne) and Jeffrey D. (Debi) Watson; and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
There will not be a memorial service.
Please share memories of Vince with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
