John Watson
9-7-1934 – 5-16-2021 John Paul Watson passed away peacefully in Riverside, California on Sunday, May 16, 2021 after a 30-year battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Born on September 7, 1934, in Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada, he worked in his father’s hardware store and was the goalie for his high school hockey team. His parents left the cold of Canada for Montebello, California, in 1951, and John joined them after his high school graduation. He entered the U.S. Army in 1955 and served for three years, making Riverside his home in 1960. Working at Household Finance, he met co-worker Gail, and they went through Citizenship ceremonies together at the Riverside Courthouse. He married Gail in 1964, raising her daughter Susan and son Jeffrey, and their son John Paul Watson Jr. For many years, the family included foster children as well, and John heroically took five kids on epic camping trips throughout the West, instilling his lifelong love of travel. He owned three laundromats in Riverside, Rubidoux and Pedley, then formed Triple J Enterprises in Highgrove with two colleagues, worked in marketing for Braun Linen, but also built houses and apartment buildings, loving the design aspects of home. His true love was flying out of Flabob Airport, and traveling the world, especially Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand. John was beloved everywhere he went. He leaves his wife of 57 years, Gail Watson; daughter Susan Straight; son John Paul Watson Jr (Nancy); granddaughters Holla Watson (Bryan Perkins), Gaila Sims (Andre LeBlanc), Delphine Sims (Kunmi Jeje), Rosette Sims, Monica Watson (Aaron Dean), and Zoe Watson; great-grandchildren Lily and Alistair Perkins, and nieces Zoe Watson (Gervais Warren) and Debbie Watson, in Canada. Predeceased by his son Jeffrey Paul Watson and his brother Ronald Watson.
