Mary Turner Watson, resident of Oakland, passed away Thursday, January 15, 2009. Mary was born April 26, 1927, in Daytona Beach, FL. She earned her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education at Bethune-Cookman College (now University) in 1952, followed by teaching assignments in Bunnell and Ormond Beach, FL. While at Bethune-Cookman, Mary had the distinguished honor to have Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of the University, as her teacher, mentor and personal friend. Mary moved to Oakland, California in 1993, following her marriage to David J. Watson, Sr. Mary was a Special Education teacher at the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from 1957 to 1960. She pursued graduate studies in Special Education at the Ohio State University in 1960 and taught Special Education in Pensacola, FL from 1961 until her retirement in approximately 1985. More recently, she taught preschool in Oakland, CA. Mary was a charter member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (DST), Inc. at Bethune-Cookman. She was a member of Berkeley Bay Area Alumnae Chapter of DST and a member of Eastern Stars, Pauline Dupee Chapter #55. At Allen Temple Baptist Church, Mary volunteered in the after school and Saturday tutoring programs. She worked with Experiant Corps at Emerson School, Oakland Unified School District. Preceded in death by her husband, she leaves to mourn her son, David J. Watson, daughter-in-law Michele, grand-daughters Olivia, Polly, step-grandson Jason Groves, of Pensacola, FL and granddaughter, Develyn Watson, of Temecula, CA. Funeral services will be held in the chapel at Herbert Thompson Funeral Home, Friday, January 30 at 2:00 p.m. with the Rev. Corwin Lasenby, Pastor of New Mt. Zion Baptist Church, presiding. Interment will follow at Mt. Ararat Cemetery.

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