Marita W. Watts

Marita W. Watts was born in Pocomoke City, MD on October 28, 1926. She was raised along with her late sister, Patricia, by her parents Joseph and Thelma Willard in several small towns on the lower Eastern Shore. She was married to James A. Watts for 43 years prior to his death in 1991. Mrs. Watts was a lifetime learner. Her early education was in the elementary schools in Pocomoke City and Sharptown. She attended High School in Sharptown and in Mardela Springs, MD where she graduated in 1943 with honors, receiving the Old Home Prize and a Scholarship Award. In 1946, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the Salisbury State Teachers College, now Salisbury University. The University of Delaware awarded her a Masters Degree in Education and Supervision in 1963. In 1973, she received the Certificate of Advanced Study in Education (CASE) from Johns Hopkins University. Mrs. Watts served as a career educator in the Public Schools of Harford County in Maryland. For 12 years, from 1946 through 1958, she was an elementary school teacher in several schools in the Aberdeen area. In 1958, she was appointed Principal of the Aberdeen Elementary School where she served until being appointed as Supervisor of Elementary Schools in Harford County in 1964. Prior to her retirement in 1982, Mrs. Watts was involved in writing curriculum, teacher recruitment and training, and initiating the first kindergarten program in the County. "Next to my husband, being involved in education was the joy of my life," Mrs. Watts once said. "Being an educator fulfilled many of my dreams—I was privileged to work with many fine teachers and young people every day." While still in the classroom, Mrs. Watts served as President of the Harford County Teachers Association, achieving 12-month pay for the teachers. In 1955, she organized and served as the first President of the Har-Co Federal Credit Union, operating the organization out of her classroom, making loans to teachers and accepting savings deposits. Today the organization serves more than 30, 000 members. This was all a part of working to improve education and the workplace for teachers, especially women teachers in Harford County. In recognition of her career as a teacher, Principal and Supervisor, Mrs. Watts was named to the Harford County Public Schools Educator Hall of Fame in 2001. Mrs. Watts carried her accomplishments as an educator into retirement, serving fellow retirees and the community at large. In the Maryland Retired Teachers Association, she was a member of the Education and Protective Services Committee promoting the welfare and safety of retirees. As President of the Harford County Retired School Personnel Association, she used the unity of the group to improve education and to achieve benefits for the membership. An active member of the Harford Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Mrs. Watts was elected President in 2003. During her term, she worked to strengthen the volunteer services in the hospital by merging the Auxiliary with all the other volunteers, forming a new organization named the Harford Memorial Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary. At various times, she chaired the Bylaws, Newsletter and Lights of Life Committees. She has served the seniors of her community, and the State, as Chair of the Harford County's Office on Aging Senior Fair. In 1972, she became a member of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Senior Citizens Hall of Fame (MSCHF), where she chaired the Blue Book Committee recognizing exemplary senior volunteers across the state. She assisted numerous seniors and their families in locating both health and financial advice. Many of these efforts were on a one-to-one basis—shopping, writing checks, and transporting seniors to keep appointments. In 2005, she was inducted into the MSCHF, recognizing her outstanding contributions to seniors as a volunteer. At her induction, she received a GERI AWARD, Maryland's geriatric "Nobel Prize" for extraordinary humanitarian community service. Since 1952, Mrs. Watts has been a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, International, a society of key international women educators. She has served as the President of two chapters, Zeta and Phi, the chapter she helped charter in 1971. From 1973 through 1975, she was the President of the State-wide organization, Alpha Beta State, where she chaired the Bylaws Committee and served several years as a member of the Leadership Development Committee. She was a member of the Planning Committee for the International Convention held in the Civic Center in Baltimore in 1973. Mrs. Watts was a long-time member of the Grace United Methodist Church in Aberdeen. She is survived by her nephews, Dennis Hancy of NJ and Drew Watts of CA; niece Karen Watts of CA, several grand nieces and nephews and extended family and friends throughout New Jersey and Maryland. A visitation will be held at the Tarring-Cargo Funeral Home on Tuesday, December 2 from 9-11am where funeral services conducted by Dr. Robert Clipp will begin at 11:00am. Interment will be at Bel Air Memorial Gardens. Contributions in her memory may be made to the charity of one's choice. Funeral Home: Tarring-Cargo Funeral Home 333 South Parke Street Aberdeen, MD US 21001