Mary Louise Watts

Mary Louise Watts died peacefully February 19 at The Springs at Mill Creek in The Dalles at age 97.

Mary was born September 26, 1926, the first of three children, to David Layton Watts and Marie Schlesser Watts in Hillsboro, OR. She lived there on the family dairy farm until she left to attend Western Oregon State College in Monmouth, OR, where she studied Education.

She taught 2nd and 3rd grade in Arlington, Creswell and Hood River until moving to The Dalles in 1962 where she taught Special Education until her retirement in 1984.

In addition to her long career as an educator, Mary was also a very talented artist and had a life long love of history. She was well versed in local history and had extensively researched and documented her family history. On her mother's side of the family, her research took her to Luxemburg a couple of times tracing the family back to the 1700s. She also researched her father’s side of the family and was very knowledgeable about their struggles among the first settlers to travel by covered wagon across the Applegate Trail to settle in the Willamette Valley in the 1840s.              

During her many years in The Dalles, she was a member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, and numerous other organizations relating to art, education, local history and genealogy. She was an active volunteer in these various organizations.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Elmer. She is survived by her brother, John, and nephew, David, of Princeton, OR, nieces Janice Theodorakis of  Portland, Donna (Earl) Burt of Bremerton, WA, Linda Watts of Burns, OR, Marilyn Watts (Carol Wright) of Ocean Park, WA, and Margaret Mary Watts of Seattle. Also, three great nieces and two great nephews and a great-great niece and nephew.  

A memorial service is planned for Mary on Sunday, March 24 at 2 pm in The Dallas at the Spencer, Libby and Powell Funeral Chapel, 1100 Kelly Ave. There will also be a funeral mass at St. Matthew’s in Hillsboro (475 SE 3rd Ave) at 1:30 pm on April 6, followed by a graveside ceremony.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to The Dalles Art Center in Mary’s memory.