Dr. John J. Watson, 83, of Elizabethtown, formerly of Harrisburg, passed away on October 28, 2019. He was born September 8, 1936 in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. He was the son of the late Hammond M. and Ruth (Ellsworth) Watson; and preceded in death by his stepmother, Blanche Watson; brother, Allen Watson; and stepbrother, Kenneth Dietrich. Surviving is his wife of 58 years, Patricia J. Watson; daughter, Lisa R. Bridges; two sons, J. Jeffrey Watson and fiancee, Shelley Neff and Stephen A. Watson and wife, Sheryl; four grandchildren, Jeremy R. Bridges, Alexandra N. Bridges, Blake D. Bair and Cody Neff; and several nieces and nephews. John retired from dentistry after 55 years of service. He began his dental career in 1960 while serving in the U.S. Army in South Korea. Two years later, he opened his dental practice in Lawnton, Pennsylvania. He also practiced at the Loysville Juvenile Detention Center from 1964 -2003. He provided dental examinations for school children in the Central Dauphin School District and the Milton Hershey School for many years. He was a faithful member of The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, where he once served as church council president. John enjoyed traveling (especially cruising), collecting antiques, and spending time with his family and friends. The funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 3700 Rutherford St., Harrisburg. A visitation will be held at the church on Tuesday from 10:00 AM until the time of the service. A private burial will take place at the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 3700 Rutherford St., Harrisburg, PA 17111.
