Clive Francis Watson

Passed away peacefully at his home, The Jefferson, in Arlington, VA on January 21, 2019. Clive was born on June 15, 1913 in Wichita, Kansas. He graduated from University of Wichita with a degree in Business Administration in 1935 during the Great Depression. Shortly afterward, he was hired at 40 cents/hour in the accounting office of Stearman Aircraft Co., a subsidiary of Boeing Co. In 1936, he moved to the Washington, DC area where he worked for various US government agencies while pursuing his Master’s degree.

He and Geraldine Walker dated and enjoyed dancing at various Washington hotel clubs. Geraldine was from Pittsburg, Kansas, and a night student at George Washington University, as was he. Clive received his Master’s degree from GWU. They married in 1938 and have two children - Jeanne, living in Arlington, and Robert, of Wake Forest, NC, two grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

In 1941, he began active duty with the US Army Air Corps in statistical and administrative duties for World War II. Clive elected separation in 1946 to take a job with the Veterans Administration in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1951, he was recalled as a Lt Colonel in the US Air Force in Europe. After his tour of duty, he returned to the Veterans Administration and moved to the DC office. There he worked on accounting systems and finally as Chief of Fiscal Audit responsible for auditing the financial operations of all VA facilities throughout the US. He retired from the Veterans Administration Central Office in Washington, DC, in 1974.

After retirement, he took up sailing and golf as activities with annual seasonal tax work utilizing his CPA license. Clive and Geraldine sailed on the Chesapeake Bay for several years before building a house at Lake-of-the-Woods in Virginia where they lived part-time and enjoyed the social activities. Clive joined the Lake of the Woods Sailing Club where he won a few races and served as Commodore periodically for several years.

His wife, Geraldine, died in 2008 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Clive moved to the Jefferson retirement facility in December, 2009. He died in January after a thoroughly enjoyable time with family and friends at the Jefferson. His memorial service will be held at Mt. Olivet Methodist Church 1500 N Glebe Road Arlington, VA, on February 9th at 2 PM. He will join his wife at Arlington National Cemetery later this year.