Fenwick L. Watts

Fenwick Leigh "Tee" Watts, M.D. passed away on March 23, 2011, in College Station, Texas. He was born on April 21, 1925 to Josephine Milburn Watts and Prentice Ray Watts in Winfield, Louisiana. At the age of 3 months, he moved with his family to Port Arthur, Texas, where he grew up. Dr. Watts graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School and enrolled at Texas A&M University in 1942. His studies were interrupted by the outbreak of World War II and, with his parents' permission joined the Navy at the age of 17. He was called to active duty in 1943 and attended Southern Methodist University and was then sent to New York City to Midshipman School at Columbia University. In 1944 he was assigned to the new APA111 USS Grundy where he spent the entire war in the Pacific theater. The Grundy was one of the first ships to reach Tokyo after the surrender of Japan. Dr. Watts was a navigator and attained the rank of Lieutenant JG and was officially separated from the Navy in 1946. He resumed his pre-medical studies at Texas A&M and graduated in 1947. He was accepted to Baylor University College of Medicine in Houston, Texas and graduated in 1951. He was called to the Navy standby reserve three months prior to graduation and was allowed to graduate under the condition he re-enlist as a medical officer. He was sent to the Jacksonville Naval Hospital in Florida where he completed his internship and delivered over 250 babies which led to his being ordered to Cherry Point Marine Air Station in North Carolina in obstetrics. As he often said with a laugh, this confirmed his decision that he did not want to be an obstetrician. He completed a residency in dermatology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas in 1956 and returned to Port Arthur where he practiced medicine until his retirement in 2000. He invented several dermatological medications and started a pharmaceutical company. Dr. Watts met his future wife, Lillian Ann Lane, while taking a course at the Indiana University College of Medicine in the summer of 1948. After her graduation from nursing school in 1949 they married on December 27 at his parents' home on Thomas Boulevard. They were married for 57 years until her death in 2006. They had three children, Jana Watts Swart, Vanessa Watts and Jeb Watts. Dr. Watts had a lifelong love of boating and was a member of the United States Power Squadron where he served as Commander of District 21. He was very active in the civic life of his community, serving as president of the Kiwanis Club and the YMCA during which time the Y built a new building. He also served as president of the Port Arthur Texas A&M Club and served as Chief of Staff at Park Place Hospital. He represented the Jefferson County Medical Society as a delegate to the Texas Medical Association for many years and was active in the Dermatology Academy until his retirement. He was extremely proud of his service on the USS Grundy and attended several ship reunions. He particularly enjoyed traveling with his wife to Europe, Africa and South America in addition to visiting most states in the US. He was a devout Christian and dedicated his life to serving others. He was passionate about medicine and practiced for 44 years. He was kind and generous, intellectually curious and had wonderful sense of humor, which served him well when his health was poor at the end of his life. He remained engaged and interested until the end of his life in the affairs of the country he fiercely loved and fought hard to save. Dr. Watts is predeceased by his parents and survived by his three children and six grandchildren: Dr. Jana Leigh Swart and spouse Bill, and their sons, William Fenwick, Jack, Stephen and Hugh; Vanessa Lane Watts and her daughter, Leah: and Jeb Prentice Watts and spouse, Eva, and son, Jeb Leigh Watts. He is also survived by his brother, Prentice Ray Watts, Jr., and his spouse, Barbara Parsons Watts, and his nephew, Michael Watts and niece, Jo Beth Watts Morris. The family would like to thank his wonderful caregivers, Jan Frank and Robin Custer and request that donations in lieu of flowers be made to Doctors Without Borders or a charity of your choice. Visitation will be Saturday, March 26, 2011 from 5-7 p.m. with services to follow on Sunday, March 27 at 1 p.m. at Levingston Funeral Home in Groves, Texas.