Lois M. Watson

Lois M. Watson, of Bellevue, Washington, passed away comfortably and peacefully on Saturday, December 11, 2010. She was 94 years old.

Lois was born on March 27, 1916, in Spokane, Washington, the daughter of Joseph and Maud (Miller) Bender. She was raised in Colville, Washington and later attended Washington State University. Lois married W. Oliver Watson, Jr., whose work for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation took them to Ephrata, Washington, where they raised their three daughters: Rosalie, Christine and Shari.

Lois dreamed of living in the city where she could be closer to the opera, symphony, and museums she so loved. While that was not to be, she did attend most every community concert in the region and was a Seattle Opera season ticket holder for more than 20 years. Music was a huge part of Lois's life. She was a member of the Washington State Music Teachers Association, and taught piano in Ephrata for more than 30 years. She was also the choir director at Memorial Christian Church in Ephrata for many years.

An avid history buff, Lois and husband, Oliver, travelled the world from Paris to Machu Picchu to Istanbul to Agra. After Oliver passed away in 1984, Lois invited her daughters and granddaughters to travel with her. In the mid-eighties, Lois decided to relocate to the Colonial Vista retirement community in Wenatchee. Lois was well known there for her seasonal piano recitals, and gave her final concert the year she turned 90. Lois then moved to the Englewood Heights retirement community in Yakima to be closer to daughter, Christine. In 2008, as a result of declining heath, Lois moved again to Bellevue, so that she could be near more family members including Rosalie, Shari, their children and grandchildren.

Lois is survived by brother T.D. Bender and his wife, Inge, of Kettle Falls, WA; daughter, Rosalie Colbath and her husband, Bud, of Bellevue; daughter, Christine Amos and her husband, Gerry, of Yakima; and daughter, Shari Toenyan-Miller and her husband, Matthew Miller, of Seattle. Surviving grandchildren include: Kelly Korach, Kira Maloof, Christopher Colbath, Cynthia Bunn, Nikolas Toenyan, Alexandra Smith, and Miles Miller.