Barry Thomas Watson passed away peacefully at Brookdale memory care on November 24, 2023 at the age of 72. He had retired from Nissan Motor Manufacturing in Smyrna, TN.
The family will visit with friends on Sunday, December 10, 2023 from 12:30 P.M. to 2:30 P.M. at Oakes & Nichols funeral home in Columbia, TN. A graveside service will follow at Lynnwood cemetery in Lynnville, TN.
Born January 30, 1951, he was the son of the late Floyd Watson and the late Lucille Hoover Watson. Barry graduated from Columbia Central High School in 1969 and attended Columbia State Community College. He worked for General Electric in Columbia, TN for 10 years before moving to Murfreesboro, TN in 1982 to take a job with Nissan. He and his family lived there for 38 years. He spent most of his time the first few years in Japan while the Nissan plant was being completed.
Mr. Watson was also a proud member of the Tennessee National Guard and retired after 20 years in the Tennessee National Guard Armor Division as a captain after serving as the company commander of the Lebanon and Gallatin unit.
Barry had a love for the outdoors and enjoyed farming, wildlife watching, and travel with trips to Canada and Alaska being his favorites. He was always ready for a competitive game of basketball or volleyball and followed college football and basketball passionately.
His greatest joy was spending time with his family and friends, always ready to attend any sport his children or grandchildren were playing.
Mr. Watson is survived by his wife, of 51 years, Bronwyn Brown Watson; daughters, Amanda Watson Wilson, and her husband, Cobey Wilson, and their children, Sloane and Chase; Megan Watson and her children, Finnian and Veda; and son, Eric Thomas Watson.
He is also survived by his brother, Ricky Watson, and his wife Lisa; and brother in law, Brian Brown, and nephew John Watson.
Honorary pallbearers are T. Randy Stevens, Gary Sawyer, Larry Kirk, Ricky Watson, Brian Brown, Mike Hill, Steve Hill, Calvin Hoover, John Watson, and Tim McMeen.
The family respectfully requests that memorial contributions be made to the Lynnwood Cemetery Association P.O. Box 305 Lynnville, TN 38472, and to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL. 60601.
