Watts, Carroll M.

Watts, CarrollMr. Carroll M. Watts, 95, of Galesburg, Ill. died 5:55 p.m. Friday, October 16, 2015 at OSF St. Mary Medical Center, Galesburg.

Carroll Watts was born December 2, 1919 in McDonough County, Ill, the second child born to Rella Claude Watts and Lera Jeanette Watts.   Jeanette never went by Lera, always using the name Jeanette. Carroll was born on a farm a short distance from Colchester, Ill. He had one older sister Nita Marie Watts. The Watts family moved to Colchester during the winter when Carroll was five years old.

He attended the Colchester grade and high school, graduating in 1937. During his growing up years he delivered the Peoria Journal Star and evening paper, and also the Chicago Tribune which came into town on the 5:20 a.m. train. He also had summer jobs with the local drug store, a cream and egg buying station, and Maid Rite Sandwich Shop.

In 1938 he went to work for Mr. Anders Anderson who was starting an auto parts business.   Carroll married Doris Grace Vogler February 15, 1941. They lived in Colchester and he continued working for Mr. Anderson until called into the Military Services in June 1942. He served in the 9th Air Force, 461st Squadron, and spent two years overseas in England, France, and Germany. During this time he was a maintenance person in the electrical shop servicing the P51 combat fighter planes. Carroll was discharged from the Army on December 2, 1945, his birthday. He returned to Colchester.

On March 1, 1946 he and Doris along with a partner opened an auto parts store in Abingdon, Ill.   The business was moved to Galesburg on January 1, 1950 and was located at Henderson and Fremont Street. Doris and he purchased the partner’s interest on January 1, 1952 and renamed the business Galesburg Auto Supply. In 1957 they reopened a store in Abingdon, naming it the Abingdon Motor Parts Inc.

In fall of 1967, Carroll and Doris purchased land and built a new building at 883 W. Dayton St. and relocated there. They continued in the business in that location until February 1, 1988 when they sold the business and retired. The Abingdon store was sold to long time employees at the Galesburg store and renamed NAPA Motor Parts.

Surviving is his son, Steven (and Yan) Watts of Galesburg and his daughter Christine Watts of Galesburg. He is preceded in death by his wife Doris on February 4, 1997, his parents and a sister Nita Bloomfield.

He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Galesburg.

Funeral service will be 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Galesburg Chapel. Rev. Mary Runge will officiate. Visitation will be 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.at the chapel. Burial will be in Oak Lawn Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church. Online condolences may be made at www.h-p-w.com.

ReCENT POSTS

Loading...