Memorial Service for James Watson
January 23, 2026 at 10 AM
Obituary
James Erskine Watson, Jr. passed away on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at the age of 80. James was born on August 21, 1945, in Houston, Texas, to James E. Watson Sr. (Jim) and Freida Weghorst Watson. He grew up in Katy with his sister, Mary Katherine, and their dog, Spotty.
On September 10, 1965, James married Joan Elizabeth Woods Watson in Houston, Texas. Together for 56 years, they had two daughters and a son. After Joan’s passing in January 2021, James remarried Margaret King of Katy on July 9, 2021.
James was a registered pharmacist, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, cattle rancher, and lifelong Katy Tigers and Texas Longhorns sports fan. He was the proud owner of the Medicine Dropper pharmacy in Katy before opening Brookshire Brothers Pharmacy with his business partners, also in Katy.
James was a life member of the Texas Exes and an alumnus of the School of Pharmacy at The University of Texas at Austin. He loved Longhorn sports and enjoyed attending games in Austin. He especially appreciated the renewed SEC rivalry between Texas A&M and UT and was very proud of the football team for ending A&M’s perfect season this year. Hook ’em Horns!
James enjoyed raising Simbrah cattle at the ranch and produced several winning heifers that students raised for FFA and 4-H. He was an avid supporter of the Katy Rodeo and FFA auction, where he helped organize the “Big Spenders” buyer group to support kids with their higher education. He loved playing golf with his son, Kirby, and was proud of his daughter Wendy for continuing the tradition of graduating from the University of Texas and for being a beloved elementary school teacher.
James enjoyed supporting his daughter Bonnie as she won multiple buckles in her passion for rodeo. He was a father figure to his granddaughter Carlie and loved celebrating her accomplishments—from rodeo to modeling to being an incredible mother to his great-granddaughters Collyns Avery, Rylie Rose, and soon-to-be-born Hannah James.
James loved playing the piano for Margaret and for Collyns and Rylie as they sat next to him and banged on the keys while he played church hymns. He enjoyed helping Margaret in the kitchen by peeling garlic and cutting vegetables. James loved driving the John Deere Gator around the neighborhood to get the mail, follow Margaret as she rode her bike, and visit with neighbors. He was regaining his balance and strength and hoped to get back to the driving range to hit some golf balls. In the meantime, he loved putting on his indoor putting green and showing Margaret how he could sink several in a row.
James was always jovial, loved to joke around, and was a kind and gracious man who was always willing to help others.
James is survived by his wife, Margaret; children from his marriage to Joan—Wendy and Paul Hanne of Katy, Bonnie Watson of Katy, and Kirby Watson of Austin; granddaughter Carlie and her husband, Zach Seidel, of Conroe; and great-granddaughters Collyns Avery and Rylie Rose Seidel of Conroe. He is also survived by Margaret’s son, Larry Reifschneider III (Trey), his wife Christina, and their sons Lucas and Noah. He was preceded in death by his former wife, Joan; his sister, Mary Katherine; his mother, Freida; and his father, Jim Watson Sr.
The family will hold a funeral service for James at 10 a.m. on Friday, January 23, 2026, at Katy’s First United Methodist Church (5601 5th Street, Katy, TX 77493).