Joy Ione Watson, daughter of the late Charles W. Byrd and Jewell Ruby Byrd, was born on June 5, 1927, in Grubbs, Arkansas, and departed this life on May 5, 2022, at Cypress Point Skilled Nursing in Dexter, Missouri, at the age of 94 years.

Mrs. Watson was a homemaker and a resident of Dexter. She was a member of the Bernie Church of Christ in Bernie, Missouri, the former deputy tax collector for Elk Township, and on the ARC Board of Directors.

On March 3, 1945, in Paragould, Arkansas, she was united in marriage to George Watson. Mr. Watson preceded her in death on February 3, 2012.

She is survived by two sons, Joe Watson and wife Sharlette of Dexter, Missouri, and Marty Watson of Malden, Missouri; by her daughter, Kim Harrington and husband Mark of Lake Mary, Florida.; by five grandchildren, Jimmy Wayne Watson, Jarrod Watson, Kyle Watson, Ryan Harrington, and Connor Harrington; and by seven great-grandchildren, Adley Jo Watson, Tatum Watson, Reese Watson, Rylee Watson, Luke Watson, Will Watson and Ellory Watson.

Other than by her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Connie Watson.

Visitation will be held at Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter on Monday, May 9, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Funeral services will then be conducted in the Mathis Funeral Home Chapel on Monday, May 9, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow in the Malden Memorial Park Cemetery in Malden, Missouri.

Memorials may be made to the Stoddard County ARC, P.O. Box 444, Dexter, Missouri 63841, OR The Children's Home, 5515 Walcott Road, Paragould, Arkansas 72450-3319. Envelopes will be provided at Mathis Funeral Home.