Doug Watts, 81, of Englewood, died early Saturday morning, January 23, 2010 at McMinn Memorial Nursing Home in Etowah. A native and lifelong resident of McMinn County, he was a son of the late Mack and Mattie Lee Reynolds Watts. He was a deacon and member of First Baptist Church in Englewood, and had retired as superintendent of the Power and Steam Department of Bowater Southern Paper Corporation. He held a degree in business from East Tennessee State University.Doug Watts ran a beef cattle operation for nearly fifty years, which was the focus of several magazine articles. He served as President of the McMinn County Livestock Association, was a charter member of the McMinn County Master Beef Program sponsored by the Agricultural Extension office. He was active in the McMinn County Soil Conservation District Committee and participated in several experimental forage projects in cooperation with the University of Tennessee School of Agriculture. He served on the Board of Directors for the McMinn County Farm Bureau. He was McMinn County Farmer of the Year in 1999. He also served as Commissioner for the City of Englewood. Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Delia Lee Watts of Englewood; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Brad Watts of Englewood, and Bob Watts and Carol Green of Etowah; and two grandchildren, Nathan Michael Watts and Douglas Scott Watts. Funeral service will be held at 8 p.m. Tuesday, January 26, 2010 in the South Chapel with the Russ Maples officiating and Bob Watts delivering the eulogy. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday prior to the service. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home at 9 a.m. Wednesday, January 27th and proceed to Chestua Cemetery near Madisonville for the 10 a.m. committal service. Harold Haddock, Doyle Barnett, Steve Lee, Jack Wilson, Ronnie Fain, Wayne Widener and Bobby Robinson will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Lawrence Webb, Ed Cochran, Jerry Cox, Scott Green and Gene Carter.

The family suggests memorials be made to the First Baptist Church Building Fund, 13 Church St., Englewood, TN 37329.