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Promoted to Glory
Brigadier Judy Watt
On December 23, 2005, just 27 days after the promotion to Glory of her husband Brigadier James Watt, Brigadier Judy Watt was promoted to Glory from her home in Folsom, California.
Judy Fleming was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on August 13, 1920, but was raised in Southern California where she graduated from Alhambra High School. She then returned to St. Paul and met The Salvation Army while working for Captain George Watt, her future father-in-law. She entered the School for Officer Training in Chicago, Illinois and was commissioned in 1941 with The Crusaders Session. As a single officer she served in various appointments in Minnesota, assisting in corps and also serving as director of a Servicemen’s Center at the Federal Building in Minneapolis. In 1943, Judy married Captain James R. Watt and they were appointed corps officers in Faribault, Minnesota. Together they served as corps officers for 20 years in North Dakota, California and Arizona as well as 23 years with administrative appointments in Oregon, Colorado and California.
While appointed to the staff of the School for Officer Training in San Francisco, Judy taught Salvation Army history and was instrumental in starting the first museum for the Western Territory.
For six years, Judy served as the territorial director of the Services to the Aging, where she was active in setting up the first camp for senior citizens and also conducted the first pre-retirement seminar for Salvation Army officers in the U.S. For the last 11 years of her active Army service, she was the territorial retired officers’ counselor.
The Watts retired in 1984 and moved to Lake Elsinore, California and then to Folsom in 2000.
Judy is survived by two sons, Jim (Shirley) Watt and Dr. David (Elaine) Watt; one daughter, Kathleen (Mick) Carr; six grandchildren; one nephew and two nieces.
A service of remembrance was held on January 18 at Sacramento Citadel Corps with Commissioner Joe Noland officiating.