Harlan "Harley" Watson

Harlan "Harley" Watson Kearney resident Harlan "Harley" Watson, 88, of Kearney, died Wednesday, June 24, 2014 at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Funeral Services will be held 10:30 A.M. Saturday, June 28th at the First Presbyterian Church in Kearney with the Rev. Dr. Stephen Price-Gibson officiating. Burial will follow at the Presbyterian Cemetery in Campbell, NE with Military Honors provided by the Navy Honors Team in conjunction with the Campbell American Legion Post # 169. Visitation will be 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Condolences or personal reflections may be submitted at www.orsfh.com. O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Harlan Leonard Watson was born in Campbell, Nebraska on March 8, 1926 to Leonard Wesley Watson and Lulu (McCoy) Watson. Harley was baptized in the Congregational Church in Campbell and attended that Sunday School and church in his youth. He attended the Campbell Public School and graduated in 1943. Following graduation from high school, he attended the University of Nebraska for one semester, after which he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944. He received training in the Navy Hospital Corps and was assigned to Navy Hospitals in Idaho, California, Hawaii, and Guam. He was discharged in May of 1946. After his military service, he returned to UNL, graduating in January of 1950 with a BA in Liberal Arts. The first year after graduation was spent working for the Nebraska Welfare Department at Dakota City, Nebraska. In 1951, he was employed by the Northern Natural Gas Co. - a short time at South Sioux City, Nebraska, eleven years at Paullina, IA, four years at Welcome, MN and eighteen years at the headquarters office in Omaha, NE. The company name was changed to InterNorth and later to Enron Corporation. He took early retirement in February of 1983. Harley and Louise M. Cook met while students at UNL and were married following her graduation. They were married in Omaha, NE on February 2, 1952. He was survived by Mary K. Roethemeyer and husband, Gordon of Kearney, NE, Claudia L. Cecetka and husband, Rich of Ord, NE, Leonard A. Watson and wife, Cindi of Elk Grove, CA, Jane F. Minardi of Arlington, TX, and Richard G. Watson and wife, Mary of Omaha, NE; nine grandchildren, and five great grandchildren, as well as his sister-in-law, Kathleen M. Gray of Reno, NV and a brother-in-law, Doug L' Heureux. Harley and Louise spent the first 20 years of their retirement in Sun City, AZ. They moved to Kearney, NE in 2003. They have been active in Presbyterian Churches in Paullina, IA, Sun City, AZ, and Kearney, NE. Harley was a member of the Lions Club while living in Paullina. He also was a Mason. He was an organizer of the Enron Retirees Association in Arizona, and served the organization as its first president and secretary for over 15 years. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Louise Watson; and sister, Mary Lou L' Heureux.

Harlan "Harley" Watson

March 8, 1926 - June 24, 2014