Gale Robert Watts, 63, Nevada, Mo., passed away suddenly on Friday, Oct. 20, 2006, at Hand County Memorial Hospital, Miller Hand, S.D. He was born Aug. 8, 1943, in Worthington, Minn., to Cletus Watts and Fern Van Horsen Watts. He married Sally Meriweather on June 30, 1984, in Stockton, Mo., and she survives of the home.

Gale grew up and went to school in the St. Paul, Minn., area. He served in the U.S. Army for two tours, serving in Germany and was discharged from Fort Carson, Colo. He came to El Dorado Springs from Lake City, Minn., in 1970. Gale worked at Crane for 32 years until his retirement in 2003. He was a member of the Bible Methodist Church in Lowry City, Mo.

Survivors in addition to his wife, Sally, of the home; include four children, Elizabeth Fjeldheim and her husband Eric, California, Richard Gale Watts and his wife Terrie, Holden, Mo., Kathryn Zachary and her husband Scott, Nevada, and Renee Bowman and her husband, Randy, Bolivar, Mo.; six grandchildren, Sven Fjeldheim, Alysha Zachary, Zoe Bowman, Kaeth Zachary, Lars Fjeldheim, and Steven Zachary; his mother, Fern Watts, Nevada; one brother, Richard D. Watts and wife Wanda, Nevada; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father Cletus; and one infant brother, John Oliver.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., on Wednesday, Oct. 25, at Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada, with pastor Steve Elsey officiating. Interment will follow in Newton Burial Park, Nevada. Friends may call now and until the hour of service and the family receives friends 7-8 p.m., today, Oct. 24, at the funeral home.

View obituary and send condolences online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com