Mary Agnes Watson

Mary Agnes Watson, 89, of Leawood, KS passed away on March 24, 2023, with family by her side. Services will be held at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish Church, 14251 Nall Ave., Leawood, KS 66223 on April 22, 2023. A Rosary and Visitation will be held at 10:00 a.m., Eulogy at 10:50 a.m., and Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. A luncheon will immediately follow the Funeral Mass. The Burial will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions in her name to St. Michael the Archangel Church.

Mary Agnes was born in Kansas City, MO. Due to the untimely death of her father Jack when she was about 6 months old, she and her older sister, Joan, were raised by her mother, grandmother, and uncles. She went to grade school and high school at Redemptorist on the campus of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. After graduating from high school in 1951, she began nursing school through St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing. She had a lifetime passion for children and was thrilled to get hired in the labor and delivery department at St. Joseph Hospital, in 1954.

As children, Mary and William Perry Watson lived one block from each other and attended the same grade school. Mary was quite athletic and would join William Perry and the neighborhood boys, and a few other girls to play touch football in the street or Penn Valley Park. Mary and William Perry started dating after high school, which led to a loving lifelong partnership. They married on August 25, 1956, and together were blessed with four children, Shirley, Bill, Perry, and Sally.

As their children grew up, Mary continued to demonstrate her enormous heart to all those she met. She was always passionate about helping others - especially those with special needs. Mary was a daily volunteer in the special needs class at the local high school and she taught Sunday school for special needs children while at Curé of Ars Parish. When she returned to nursing, she cared and comforted cancer patients at Baptist Hospital. In 1977, she joined the labor and delivery department at the new St. Joseph Hospital at I-435 and State Line Road.

As part of a lifelong commitment to her family, Mary took care of her mother until her mother passed at the age of 97. Plus, Mary made weekly visits to her aging extended family members at their homes or their nursing facilities throughout her life until the age of 88.

Mary had a beautiful voice and loved to sing! She sang in church choirs since she was a child up until her early 80s. Her beautiful voice brought her family much joy! The family’s favorite Mass to attend was Christmas Eve Mass when the whole family could hear her rejoice and celebrate the birth of our Lord!

In a life full of love and happiness, her greatest joy was her grandchildren and great grandchildren! The family has many fond memories of her singing and playing the piano with the children gathered around. She loved playing games (Dominoes a favorite!), watching movies, exaggerating funny family stories, and sharing many, many meals together!

She truly loved everyone - her family, her friends, and all people she met along life’s journey. No one was a stranger to Mary. She had a magnetic personality and added laughter to every conversation. She was truly a beautiful person inside and out, radiating love and compassion, and will be dearly missed!

Mary was preceded in death by her mother and father, Margaret and John (Jack) Judge, and sister, Joan Pedersen. She is survived by her husband William Perry Watson, her children Shirley (Bob) Corn, Bill Watson, Perry (Becky) Watson, and Sally (Jeff) Viken, and numerous grandchildren (and their spouses) and great grandchildren.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all the family, friends, caregivers, and clergy who comforted and supported her during this past year. She had visitors almost every day which is testament to the loving relationship she had with all those she met.