Shirley Watts

(From Parker Mortuary)

Shirley Ann Watts, age 79, Joplin, passed away at 2:35 p.m. Friday, December 5, 2014 at her residence after an illness.

Shirley was born June 30, 1935 in Goodman, Missouri to the late William Bert Cowan and Margaret Ellen Hinkle Cowan and had lived in the Joplin area since 1985.

She graduated from Goodman High School in 1953 and later moved to Wichita. She returned to the Joplin area and worked in the retail business, retiring from Sears in 2006.

Survivors include her children, Sandra Rickert and her husband, John, Waynesville, Sharon Russell and her husband, Thomas, Iberia, Debra Watts, Joplin, Donna Paavo and her husband, Jim, Alger, Michigan, David Watts and his wife, Jackie, Joplin, Marcella ‘Marcie’ Anderson and her husband, Frank, Joplin, Ann Aldridge and her husband, Jay, Iberia; one sister, Mary Jo Marble, Neosho; fifteen grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, Dwight Gene Watts; two brothers, Bob and Dean Cowan and grandchildren, Morgan Paavo and McKenzie Dunn.

Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary.