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Majors Art and Jean Watson have entered honored retirement after 25 years of officership.
Both share a long history in association with The Salvation Army; Art’s parents were former Salvation Army officers in the 1930s.
The Watsons were born in Erie, Pa., and met while in high school. They married in 1955. Art served in the Marine Corps from 1954-57, and then worked as an auto mechanic for eight years. In 1964 they moved West, finally settling in Bonney Lake, Wash., and attended the Tacoma Corps. There, Art served as bandmaster and they played in the band, as did their son John.
In 1973 they entered the School for Officer’s Training, and were commissioned in 1975 with the Soldiers of the Cross Session. The following years brought appointments in Salt Lake City, Utah, and in Kelso, Wenatchee, Olympia and Aberdeen, Wash. They also served in the ARC Command, with appointments in Anchorage, Alaska, Seattle, Wash., and Oakland and Santa Monica, Calif.
Art and Jean have three children, Arthur IV, John, and Joyce, and four grandchildren. Their address in retirement is: 3315 #1 Canyon Rd., Wenatchee, WA 98801.