Mary Watson, right, giving a tour of Dancing Waters, 2013Born: 1932
Died: March 1, 2018
Married: John James Watson
Children: John Gavin Watson, James Thomas Watson, Mary Margaret Watson, Miriam Ann Monahan, Moira Elizabeth Hollums
Mary Margaret Watson was a daughter of Daisy and Julian Reiss, of Lake Placid. Her father founded Santa’s Workshop in Wilmington in 1949, and Mary worked there as an elf in her early years. She and her husband saved the R. D. Douglass camp, Blythemere, and 23.5 acres by buying several of the lots of the development being formed by Emerson Wertz on the north shore of Douglass Point, Upper Saranac Lake. They renamed the camp Dancing Waters, after a John Denver song.
She attended St. Bernard's School and earned a bachelors degree in social studies from Barry College in 1953 and received a masters degree in religious education from Fordham University. She served as director of religious education at the Church of St. Augustine in Larchmont, and was involved in Operation Toy Lift, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float. She was a member of Mercy Care for the Adirondacks, the Lake Placid Sinfonietta, the Upper Saranac Lake Association, and The Wild Center in Tupper Lake.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, March 5, 2018
Mary M. Watson
Mary Margaret Watson, 85, of Sanibel, Florida, died peacefully surrounded by family, Thursday, March 1, 2018.
Born in 1932 in Lake Placid, the daughter of Daisy and Julian Reiss, Mary grew up in Lake Placid. She attended St. Bernard’s School in Saranac Lake, received a bachelors degree in social studies from Barry College in 1953 and received her masters degree in religious education from Fordham University.
Mary worked as an elf at Santa’s Workshop, founded by her father in Wilmington. In addition to the theme park activities, she was involved in Operation Toy Lift, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float. Through her position as the director of religious education at the Church of St. Augustine in Larchmont, she dedicated her many talents to inspire and educate youth about the Catholic faith.
Throughout her life, she was deeply involved in the Catholic Church and numerous charities. She taught catechism and served on the Parish Council at Saint Mary’s Church, Greenwich, Connecticut and was a member of Greenwich Ecumenical World Hunger Organization. She was also a lector and eucharistic minister at Saint Mary Church and Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Fairfield, Connecticut. She was a member of the Resurrection Choir in Our Lady of the Assumption Church and the Choir of St. Isabel Church, Sanibel, Florida. Mary also had the special honor to be a Lady of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
Mary was an active member and contributor to the Friends of the Library in Easton, Connecticut, Mercy Care for the Adirondacks, Lake Placid Sinfonietta, the Upper Saranac Lake Association, and The Wild Center in Tupper Lake.
Mary shared a lifetime love of reading, skating, skiing and sailing and was an accomplished singer and musician. For all of her accomplishments, her greatest joy came from her family.
She was married in 1958 in Saint Agnes Church, Lake Placid to John James Watson and celebrated a wonderful 50 years together.
She is predeceased by her husband and two brothers: Robert and Thomas Reiss.
She is survived by two brothers: Paul, Lake Placid and Peter, Westport, Connecticut, and sister Patti Brooks, East Lyme Connecticut, five children: John Gavin Watson (Andrea Heap), Ridgefield, Connecticut, James Thomas Watson (Brenda), Trumbull, Connecticut, Mary Margaret Watson (John) Parachute, Colorado, Miriam Ann Monahan (Thomas Jay) Novato, California, and Moira Elizabeth Hollums (Mark) Easton, Connecticut, in addition to six grandchildren: Sarah, James, Mary, Mackenzie, Mark, and Cameron; and two great-granddaughters: Elisabeth and Kristen.
Arrangements are being handled through M. B. Clark, Inc. Funeral Home, Lake Placid. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 10 at Saint Agnes Church in Lake Placid. A special memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 8 at St. Pius X Church of Fairfield. There will also be a memorial service at 10 a.m. July 28, 2018 at St. Agnes Church, followed by internment in St. Agnes Cemetery.
Donations are suggested to charitable organizations that had great significance for her including the Julian Reiss Foundation in Lake Placid, Mercy Care for the Adirondacks, and The Wild Center.
Relatives and friends are invited to share a memory, order flowers, upload a photograph or leave condolences at www.mbclarkfuneralhome.com.
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