Mary Jane Watson

Mary Jane (McDermott) Watson, 87, daughter of Walter A. McDermott and Marion (Harper) McDermott passed away peacefully, May 18, 2022.  We believe she went to find Dad (Lynwood L. Watson,) and fill him in on the last 18 years of family shenanigans. We wish Dad luck as she was a bit annoyed that he left her here without him. We have all seen her shake her “boney finger” at the sky and say, “Lenny, I’m so mad at you.”

Most people always knew where they stood with Jane and what she was thinking. She felt having “no filter” was a right of being a senior citizen. As her children, Alison Watson Maston, Susan Watson and Heather Watson Summerer, we are still trying to figure out where we stood with her, but we know she loved us very much. 

Jane cherished her family. She made it very clear that Alison and Heather were lucky to have the husbands they have, John Maston and Scott Summerer, and that they probably didn’t deserve them. The children that resulted from her daughters’ marriages and made her Grandma Jane (GJ) were her greatest pride and joy. Alison and John’s children, Wayne, Lauren, Stephen who married Megan, Kelly and Tierney started the clan. Susan’s children, Conor and Erin joined the family next. Heather and Scott made her wait a while, but Sydney and Jordan finally joined the ranks. Grandma Jane had the extra blessing of changing her title to Great-Grandma (GG) when Stephen and Megan added Parker and Hadley Jane, her namesake, to round out the family. 

Jane had many titles, but she wore the title of sister and Aunt Jane like a crown. Her brothers and their wives, Walter (Ann) McDermott and William (Jean) McDermott and their children, Jamie, Kate, Jen, Brian, Tim, Sarah, Meg, Bill, and Lindsay, along with all of their children, resulted in some of the most epic family gatherings. The pool, the games, the food, storytelling, and general family ribbing were remembered regularly, albeit we spent a lot of time organizing the names of the latest generation of children.

The greatest example of how Jane loved her family was her care for Dad when he was failing from Parkinson’s Disease. Even when Dad entered a facility, she never left him alone for a day. We were lucky to have Dad’s sister, Martha Pena, stay so close with our families after his passing. Jane would always ask, have you talked to Aunt Martha? Is she coming for dinner? The extra treat was when Marty’s son Joe and his wife Lila came along. Never far from her mind were Dale and Deanne, the children of Dad’s brother Kenneth (Charlene) Watson.

Jane had many blessings in her life. She met Lin Clark while they were both attending to their spouses’ gravesites. They were dinner, travel, and adventure companions for years. We secretly thanked the dinner Gods for his cooking skills. She claimed she never enjoyed another meal after he passed. 

We take comfort in knowing Mom is bending Dad’s ear, eating heavenly food, and watching over her clan. We will watch for her signs that we have stepped out of line and know that she loved her daughters and all the children that resulted from she and Dad, fiercely. 

The family will hold a private celebration of life. Donations to honor Jane can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation in memory of Lynwood L. Watson. 

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