Mary Rita Watson, a resident of Pacific Palisades since 1952, passed away peacefully on June 20 with her family by her side. She was 93. Born on March 20, 1917 on a farm in Ellington, Connecticut, Mary was the second of five children born to immigrant Italian parents. Growing up, she enjoyed the embrace of a large and close-knit extended family. First in her family to attend college, Mary graduated from Albertus Magnus in 1937 and subsequently worked as a biology research assistant at Princeton, where she and her future husband, a young Canadian doctoral candidate named Kenneth Watson, met playing floor hockey in the hallway between their graduate departments. They were married in 1941. During World War II, the couple moved to British Columbia, Canada, where their son Douglas was born in 1943. While there, Mary was a biology lab instructor at the University of British Columbia. In 1950, Mary and Ken became Bruins when Ken accepted a teaching position at UCLA and the young family quickly embraced the culture and climate of West Los Angeles. Mary remembered calling her family back in Connecticut one Thanksgiving and reporting that she had cooked the turkey while wearing Bermuda shorts. In 1952, Mary and Ken moved to their home on Bestor Boulevard, where Mary lived for 58 years. Their second child, Rita, was born that year and their third child, Marcia, was born in 1955. After several years as a stay-at-home mom, Mary returned to her field of interest as a scientific research assistant at UCLA, where she relished her work and the camaraderie of her colleagues until her retirement at age 83. Mary led an extremely full and active life right up until the time of her death. A longtime parishioner of Corpus Christi Church, she was a eucharistic minister, brought communion to the sick, and was involved in bible study, bereavement assistance, meditation and book groups. Her faith was very important to Mary, strengthening her compassion for others and heightening her awareness of the importance of forgiveness. An active member of the community, Mary enjoyed many gatherings and activities with longtime friends and neighbors, especially loving the Fourth of July parade. She was an avid sports fan and loyally supported her Bruins through thick and thin. Mary treasured her family, lovingly supporting and enjoying the company of her children, sons-in-law and grandchildren, all of whom adored her. She was the unifying center of her family. She lived her life to the fullest and with gratitude for her blessings, often saying with a smile, ‘This Is the Day the Lord Has Made, Let Us Rejoice and Be Glad.’ Mary is survived by her son Douglas of Bend, Oregon; daughter Rita Sakkis (husband Nicolas) of Moraga; daughter Marcia Larsson (husband Jim) of Oakland; and her grandchildren, Mark, Whitney and Michael Watson; Louisa, Julia and Lily Sakkis; and Stuart, Daniel and Joanie Larsson. She was predeceased by her husband in 1986. A mass in celebration of Mary’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 9 at Corpus Christi Church. Donations may be made to one of her favorite charities, DoctorsWithoutBorders.org.
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