John Henry Watts

Lieutenant Colonel John Henry “Harry” Watts III (USAF, Retired), died peacefully at his home in Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, on March 18, 2019. He was 99. Born on June 8, 1919 in Teaneck, New Jersey, Harry was a veteran of three wars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

In 1941, Harry enlisted in the US Army, but soon transitioned to the US Army Air Force, where he was assigned to the 568th Squadron of the 390th Bomb Group stationed in Framlingham, England. He flew 30 missions with distinction as pilot of the B-17 Flying Fortress, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.

After the war, Harry met the love of his life, Betty Marie James, of Jacksonville, Florida, and the two were married in 1946. They spent the next 72 love-filled years together until Betty’s passing in December 2018.

In 1951, Harry was assigned to the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project connected with the US Atomic Energy Program. In 1964, he was assigned to the Space and Ballistic Missile Planning Division at Andrews AFB. In 1966, he was reassigned to their division at Patrick AFB, Florida, where he served out the remainder of his military career, retiring in 1975.

For Harry, retirement from the military was simply an excuse to pursue new careers. He immediately took a position with Westinghouse Corporation and was sent to Teheran, Iran, where he supervised communications and surveillance projects. Returning to the States in 1978, he went back to college, and earned a degree in computer programming (his third academic degree). That led to him taking a job “just for fun” with a local business, where he designed, programmed, and implemented his own proprietary accounting software. He was also a consultant for an old military buddy, who had started a business deploying lighter-than-air surveillance aircraft in conjunction with the US DEA.

Harry is survived by five of his six children: John H. Watts IV (Kris) of Melbourne, Florida, Jamie A. Bednarski (Joe) of Albuquerque, New Mexico, W. Andrew Watts (Lizzy) of Brooklyn, New York, Jeffrey S. Watts (Janette) of Sydney, Australia, and Michele E. Watts of Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, along with 12 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, and by his daughter Gail M. Cousens of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

A memorial mass for both Harry and Betty will be held Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m., at Patrick AFB South Patrick Chapel, 84 Harrier Avenue, Satellite Beach, FL 32927.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.