Dr. Alfred “Al” Lawrence Watson passed away peacefully Sunday, April 28. He was preceded in death by the love of his life, Jeanette, who passed on January 8, 2019. Their five children are Emily, Allyson, Wendy, Laura and Randy. Al was born into a middle class family in 1925 in Columbus, MS. After finishing public school in 1943, he became a Navy V-12 student at Milsaps College in Jackson, MS in premed. This was an eight hour school day, six days a week in an accelerated program during WWII. In July 1945, he entered Vanderbilt Medical School, graduating in 1949. After a year of a rotating internship at Baltimore City Charity Hospital, he married Jeanette and reentered the Navy as an officer and physician to pay back his schooling time. One year was in the Naval Hospital at the Marine Air Station, Cherry Point, NC, and one year was on sea duty.
He was called Lawrence by everyone in Columbus, but in the Navy with the initials A.L. on everything, he became Al. He began a three year internship and residency at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, the clinical teaching hospital of Emory Medical School. In 1955, Jeanette, Al, and four daughters moved to Huntsville where he practiced internal medicine at the Huntsville Clinic. Randy was born on arrival to Huntsville.
Al became involved at First United Methodist Church and community affairs. He served as Chief of Staff of Huntsville Hospital from 1975-1977, President of the County Medical Society, President of Rotary, Hospice Board, Crippled Children and Adult Rehabilitation Board, and various other medical, hospital, church and community committees. Al was one of the founding three members of the Carlton Cove Board, which is now Magnolia Trace. Retirement from medical practice in 1992 didn’t slow him down. He became Medical Director at the new Health South Rehabilitation Hospital for five years. Golf, gardening, bee keeping, growing orchids in his greenhouse, and traveling were retirement hobbies. Al and Jeanette became residents of Carlton Cove in 2003, where he enjoyed bridge, reading and exercise in the fitness room. He thoroughly enjoyed Magnolia Trace and made life even more pleasant for many residents.
Dr. Al was loved by his family, friends and former patients. He was always full of humor and wit, and had a way of making everyone feel cared for. Despite his many accomplishments, he was always a humble man.
A Celebration of Life will be held from 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, May 5 at Magnolia Trace in the Magnolia Room.
