Leslie Mae Watts

On a sunny morning, Saturday, January 8, 2022, Leslie Mae Watts was called home to live in eternity with her Heavenly Father after a battle with cancer. Leslie was born on April 4, 1936 in Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, NY to Helen Thomas. Soon after, Helen returned to Suffolk, VA for Leslie to be raised by her relatives the Wright family. There she enjoyed a full family life with thirteen siblings who always treated her as a sister. Her Uncle “Pop” Wright was a strict Pentecostal Elder and Leslie became a member of the Apostolic Faith Holiness Church. This gave her a strong foundation believing in Jesus Christ as her Savior at a young age which served her well for the rest of her life.

She is preceded in death by her mother Helen Thomas, sisters Emma Barrett, Mamie Stewart, Della Gary, Ruth Johnson and brothers Cephas, Alphonso, Timothy, Vincent and Charles Wright.

She attended East Suffolk High School and graduated in June of 1952. Leslie had a nurturing spirit so after graduation she took a job working in Doctor Reid’s office. She also moved in with her Aunt Queen who she loved dearly. She applied and was accepted into the Nurses Aid Program at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. She subsequently moved to Brooklyn to embark on a new life in NYC. Before the Nurses Aid Program started she was hired as Clerk at Kings County Hospital. It was at Kings County that she met her lifelong friends Margie Miller and Esther Thomas.

A couple years after relocating to New York, Leslie met a handsome young New York City Fireman, Lewis Watts, who courted and wooed her until they married in June 1958. Their marriage would last the rest of her life, sixty-three years, and would result in three sons: Ronald, Anthony, and Lewis Jr. She delayed her ambition to become a registered nurse in order to raise her sons who she affectionately called “her diamonds.”

After Lewis and Leslie moved into a home in Jamaica, NY in 1958 she joined Brooks Memorial Methodist Church. She attended church religiously and participated in many church activities. Leslie loved living a Christian life. When her sons went out to parties as teenagers they knew Mom was waking them up at 7:00 Am for Sunday school and Church. If they closed their eyes in Church they would get the “pinch.” Later Lewis and Leslie became members of Allen AME Church.

Leslie also enjoyed being a competitive league bowler, shopping for bargains, cooking and baking. She was an exceptional cook whose macaroni and cheese, pound cake and rolls from scratch were legendary.

When the youngest son became a teenager she resumed her endeavor to become a Registered Nurse attending Queensboro College. She achieved her lifelong ambition, graduating from Queensborough College in May of 1978 as Registered Nurse. Soon after she was hired by Downstate Medical College, Brooklyn, NY. In her nineteen years of service she received two promotions: Supervisor of Nursing and later Employees Health Supervisor. She retired in 1997.

Lewis and Leslie later relocated to Williamsburg, Va in December 2006 and became members of New Zion Baptist Church.

She leaves to cherish her memories her husband Lewis; her three sons, Ronald (Dorothy) of Atlanta, GA, Anthony (Pat) of Uniondale, NY, and Lewis Jr. of Bronx, NY; her sisters, Mary Scott (William) of Boston, MA and Debbie Gibbs of Boston, MA; her brothers, Bishop James Wright of Radcliff, KY and Elvin Wright of Suffolk, VA; and her grandchildren, Candiace Dillard-Bassett (Chris), Crystal Watts, Christopher Watts, Talim Watts, Kiara Watts, and Aisha Watts. She also leaves to cherish her memories a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.