Georgia “Missy” Averill Watson

PALERMO – Georgia “Missy” Averill Watson, 92, a long-time resident of Palermo, passed Nov. 21, 2024, in her home surrounded by her family . She was born July 31, 1932, the daughter of James Melvin “Mel” and Marion “Matt” Lucinda Bowmen Haskell. Missy was a Mayflower descendant.

Missy loved spending time with her family and friends. She welcomed all her children’s friends and treated them like a member of the family. Her door was always open to all.

Missy attended Erskine Academy and graduated at the age of 16. She was an avid reader and loved to do jigsaw puzzles. She held a strong work ethic, starting at a young age, helping her parents by assisting her father in the woods by stripping bark off trees that he harvested and assisting her mother with household chores and providing care for her siblings. She continued that ethic throughout her life working in the various shoe shops around the central Maine area. Once that industry fell away, she entered the computer chip industry and went to work at Digital Corp in Augusta. She also worked at Crow Rope, braiding rope and picking potatoes for Clair Bradstreet, with all her children in tow.

Missy married Ernest Watson in July of 1957. They spent 60 years together until his death in 2017. Together they raised six children.

Survivors include her children, Sheila Schooler and her partner Barbara Conner of Biddeford, Wendy Durham and her husband Timothy of Torrington, Conn., David Watson and his wife Ramona of Weeks Mills, Jeffrey Watson and Dennis Watson of Palermo and Phillip Watson of China; along with 12 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; and one great- great granddaughter.

She is also survived by her sister Virginia “Ginny” Wellman of Palermo, her brother Gary Haskell and his wife Kathy of Weeks Mills, her sisters-in-law Mary Haskell of Weeks Mills and Carrie McGrath of China.

She was predeceased by her husband Ernest Watson; parents Mel and Matt Haskell; brothers Charles “Chub” Haskell, James “Tero” Haskell, Lawrence “Lonnie” Haskell, her sisters Vernie French and Betty Keene; her great-grandson Noah Nixon and great-granddaughter Tabitha Stearns.

A celebration of life will held (date to be determined) and her burial will be a private family event at the Maine Veterans Cemetery in Augusta, Maine.