Eula Fay Watson of Jacksboro, Texas was born on May 19, 1918 to Oscar A. and Minnie Symintha (Jackson) Whitsitt at Squaw Mountain, Texas. She married Melvin E. Watson on May 19, 1936 in Joy. They celebrated 62 years of marriage before his death in 1998. Eula Fay passed away on Thursday, June 30, 2016 in Ft. Worth at 98 years and 49 days. Her main goal in life was to stay active.

Eula Fay was an active member of First Baptist Church, The Red Hat Society, The Jacksboro Gardening Club, and The Jacksboro Country Club where she had been an avid golfer for years. She finally gave up golf because she said, “I’ve outlived most of my playing partners”.

She was the first female court bailiff in Jack County. At one time she owned and operated a children’s clothing store in Bowie after her first granddaughter was born, but found it too confining. Following that venture, she raised quail, truck farmed and worked at Haggar Slacks. Her final business venture was trapping and selling live raccoons. This ended abruptly when one of the raccoons managed to get out of the cage and tap her on the shoulder while she was driving them to the sale. She was the mother to three boys, hated to cook, but was always ready to fish and tramp around the ranch.

Many family and friends believed she was a “card shark” when it came to playing SkipBo.  She won at Bingo so many times Concerned Citizens ran out of prizes. She was an uninhibited 42 and 84 player. She was strong willed, hard headed and smart as a whip. She was independent, interested in everything and a feisty pioneer woman. She loved John Deere lawn mowers, but disliked horses.

Eula Fay was a cancer survivor, having beaten it twice.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Melvin E. Watson, a son, Larry James Watson, two brothers and seven sisters.

She leaves behind two sons: Ronald E. Watson and wife Shirley; Donald D. Watson and wife Susan; daughter-in-law, Sharon Watson; sister, Margaret McMahon; grandchildren: Pamela, Cherami, Steven, Damon, Jennifer, Forrest and Laura; great grandchildren: Calista, Trenton, Winston, Amanda, Matthew, Jordan and Ethan plus many nieces, nephews and friends.

Memorials may be made to Concerned Citizens or American Cancer Society.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday July 9, 2016 at First Baptist Church in Jacksboro with burial following in Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Friday at Coker Funeral Home in Jacksboro. Please visit www.cokerfuneral.com for online tributes.