Fred Morris Watts

Mrs. Fred Morris Watts, 96, of 1917 Glenwood Street, Kannapolis, NC, died Friday, August 2, 2002, at his residence. Funeral services are scheduled for 3:00 PM Sunday, August 4, 2002, at Franklin Heights Baptist Church. Rev. Tim Jernigan will officiate. Burial will follow at Carolina Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8:00 PM Saturday at Lady's Funeral Home. At other times, the family will be at the residence. Mr. Watts was born January 21, 1906 in Alexander County, NC. He was a son of the late John M. Watts and Amanda Elnora Herman Watts. He was employed at Cannon Mills in the Packing Department for 45 years until his retirement in 1972. He moved to Kannapolis in 1927. He married Lois Brookshire on June 30, 1928. He was a member of Franklin Heights Baptist Church and Cannon Memorial Masonic Lodge. Mr. Watts attended James D. Vaughn School of Music in Lawrenceburg, TN in 1927 and 1930. Mr. Watts was active in First Baptist Church aand sang with the Kannapolis Quartet regularly at revivals, church services, funerals, and singing conventions. He also taught singing schools and directed music in more than 100 revivals in Iredell, Alexander, Rowan and Cabarrus counties. He was a director of music at Shadybrook, North Kannapolis, Franklin Heights, and Blackwelder Park Baptist Churches from 1947 to 1977. He was an avid gardener and was well-known for his delicious tomatoes. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by four brothers, Carl, Bill, Herman, and Ned Watts, and four sisters, Ada McLeod, Daphne Mooney, Blanche Johnson, and Beatrice Bebber. Mr. Watts is survived by his wife of 74 years, Lois Brook Watts; daughter, Shirley Marie Watts of Nashville, TN and Kannapolis; sister, Thelma Deal of Taylorsville, NC; sister-in-law, Hazel Bebber Watts of Kannapolis; and many nieces and nephews. Memorials may be sent to Franklin Heights Baptist Church, 526 Wright Avenue, Kannapolis, NC 28083.