Melba Rose Watson
February 28, 1922 ~ July 6, 2020
Melba Rose passed peacefully at her home in Fresno, at the age of 98 with family members and one of her devoted caregivers by her side.
Melba was born and raised in New Orleans to Inez Marie (Haynes) and Philip Ignatius Smith. She attended schools in the Orleans Parish, 7th Ward. She attended Joseph A. Craig Elementary, Albert Wicken Jr. High School and MacDonnell #35 High School. She recalled being very good at mathematics... and gymnastics! After graduation from high school, she worked in a factory making shirts.
In 1946, she moved by train to Los Angeles where she got a job in the US Post Office. She met and married the love of her life, Earl Watson. They bought their first home in Venice, California, and started a family. Melba was a devoted wife and mother to their sons and daughter. They moved to Los Angeles where she was a Den Mother for their sons’ Cub Scout Troop.
As a young wife and mother, she was a freelance seamstress for clients at the Hollywood Knickerbocker Hotel. Later, she worked as a cashier in the Unemployment Office in Hollywood, followed by a short career as a Real Estate Agent, but her preferred calling was loving wife and mother.
The family enjoyed trips to the beach, Pacific Ocean Park, Disneyland, dance parties and pool parties with friends. She was the “best cooker in the house” and made the best gumbo in town. She was very creative, sewing clothes for herself and her children and enjoyed painting with oils on canvas. She had a beautiful voice and often started her day with a song. She even wrote a song called Too Often that was recorded by Faye Reis.
Melba hosted lively “Hen Parties” with her girlfriends, playing Bonanza and PoKeNo when Earl and their sons were away on fishing trips.
Melba and Earl enjoyed traveling to Europe, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. They moved to Fresno in the early 80s where they established many deep and lasting friendships. They were very active in charitable activities for veterans and disadvantaged children.
Melba was predeceased by her loving husband Earl, their son, Earl Jr., and hanai son, Christopher “Karl” Lion; her parents, Inez Marie and Phillip Smith; brothers Quentin (Yolande) Smith and John (Audrey) Smith; sisters Celita (Walter) Maurice, Jeanne (Howard) Meziere, Gwendolyn (John) Roberts, Lynne (Lawrence Jr.) Guimont, and countless aunts, uncles and cousins.
Melba is survived by their son, Alan Watson, daughter Coleen, and her husband Fred Patterson (Newman parishioners); grandson Eric Wilson; granddaughter Ashley and her husband Michael Wold, great-grandson Bodie Alan; grandson Dr. Jon Watson and his wife Dr. Marisa Liu, great-granddaughter Heidi Rose; step-grandchildren Ned Patterson an
l’s passing, she maintained her sense of humor and positive attitude with quips like “Where does an alien go to register” when technology confused her, and “Good as Gold” to describe how she was doing.
Days before her death, Mom said, “I’m so glad we had this time together...” She was so precious, with a warm and loving smile that we will truly miss.
She was a constant source of support to her husband and they enjoyed 69 years of honeymooning. We take comfort in imagining they are back together on a great cruise ship in heaven.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Melba Rose Scholarship Fund (for disadvantaged students of color). Please mail checks payable to Wild Rose c/o Ashley Watson Wold, 4170 Glory Vista Terrace, Jackson WY 83001
