JOHNNY L. WATSON

April 16, 1933 - March 11, 2012

Johnny L. Watson, 78, of Kankakee, died Sunday, March 11, 2012 at Provena St. Mary's Hospital. Visitation will be Friday, March 16, 2012 from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. at Lax Mortuary and again on Saturday, March 17, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. until time of funeral services at 10:00 a.m. at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church. Reverend C. Ramónt Morris will officiate. Burial will be in Mound Grove Gardens of Memory. Memorials may be made to the SWAGG Ministries of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church. Johnny L. Watson was born April 16, 1933 in Edwards, Mississippi to Johnny L. Watson and Annie Lue Jefferson. He was baptized at an early age into the Baptist faith and was a member of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church where he sang in the male chorus, participated in the male ministries and for years served as a deacon. Mr. Watson completed his primary education in the south and acquired wisdom thru the ages and became a very intelligent and wise man among men. He was united in holy matrimony to Josie Bell Dixon in July of 1954. She preceded him in death. He worked for the Kankakee Steel Mills and for many years worked for Azzarelli Construction Company, Laborers International Union of North America Local 751. On December 18, 1999 he was united in holy matrimony to the former Bernice Clark. A resident of the area for more than 50 years, Mr. Watson was a man’s man, who was very honored in his community. He enjoyed healthy dialog about serious community issues. An avid sports enthusiast, he loved the quality of the athlete more than the preference for the team. He leaves to cherish his memory and celebrate his homegoing, his devoted wife, Bernice Watson of Kankakee, IL; daughters and son-in-law, Willie Bell Daniel, Johnnie Delinda Watson and Sybil Watson all of Kankakee, IL, Kathlyn Watson of Peoria, IL, and Constance and Terrence Malone of Jonesboro, GA; sons and daughters-in-law, Jimmie Lee and Nancy Dixon of Minneapolis, MN and Aaron and Pamela Clark of Kankakee, IL; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Harvey Clark, Barbara Sykes and Jeffery Clark all of Kankakee, IL, Patricia Allen of Bourbonnais, IL and Jimmie and Gracie Staples of Duluth, GA; 33 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren; three nieces, Albertstine and Joe Willis Walker, Annie Hibbler and Catherine and Greg Travis, all of Jackson, Mississippi and a host of other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Josie Watson and a sister, Annie Mae Hibbler Cook.