Obituary for Barbara Watson

Barbara Sue Watson

March 29, 1939 – April 15, 2022

Barbara Sue Watson, 83, of Ponca City, departed this life on April 15, 2022. A Celebration of Life Ceremony will be held at 2:00 PM, on Thursday, April 21, 2022, at Trout Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Gary Wilburn officiating. No viewing is scheduled. Burial will immediately follow at Odd Fellows Cemetery, Ponca City.

Barbara (“Barbie” or “Barb”) was born in Ponca City, Oklahoma, on March 29, 1939, to Eugene and Pearl (McDaniel) Smith. Barbara attended Ponca City Public Schools, graduating from Po-Hi in 1957, after which she attended Northern Oklahoma College. Barbara then moved to St. Louis, Missouri, to work for McDonald Aircraft Company, followed by Sun Oil Company in Dallas, Texas, and Delta Drilling Company in Denver, Colorado. She returned home to Ponca City and started her career at Continental Oil Company in 1965 where she served as executive secretary in Exploration Research to several division managers. Barbara retired from ConocoPhillips in 2000.

Barbara married Harold Watson on August 22, 1964, at First Christian Church in Ponca City and the couple remained happily married for more than 57 years until her passing. Barbara and Harold’s careers afforded them the freedom to travel extensively, and her passion for travel continued throughout most of her life. Harold (“Windy”) and Barbie especially loved the mountains, traveling in their RV several times throughout the years to Glacier National Park in Montana, among other destinations.

Barbara loved helping other people and after her retirement, she continued to support and assist her family, friends, and former co-workers with tasks large and small. Barbara enjoyed working in her garden; Barb and Windy successfully moved and replanted her mother’s beloved red rose bush from her childhood home to theirs where it still blooms today. Barbara was a cancer survivor and participated in many local “Walk for the Cure” events. She was an active member of the Literacy Council, where she assisted in teaching adults to read. For many years she aided local senior citizens in completing their annual Medicare insurance enrollment. Barbara volunteered as a docent at the Marland Mansion.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents and her older brothers Kenneth Smith and Jim L. Smith. She was also preceded in death by George Harmon, for whom she acted as caregiver in his later years. She is survived by her husband, Harold, of Ponca City; niece, Leslie Schauvliege and her husband Perry of Ponca City; nephews, Mark Smith and his wife Shelly of Ponca City, Randy Smith and his wife, Rhonda, of St. Louis, Missouri, and Stephen Smith of St. Louis, Missouri; great-nieces, Haley Kaspar and her husband Ted of Ponca City, Stacy Schauvliege of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Iris Smith and Lily Smith, both of St. Louis, Missouri; and long-time family friend Mitch Yancey.

In lieu of flowers, and in honor of her love of animals, memorial contributions may be made to Northern Oklahoma Humane Society, 900 W. Prospect Ave, Ponca City, OK 74601. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory, 505 W. Grand Ave., Ponca City, OK 74601.

Source: Trout Funeral Home