William 'Bill' D. Watt, Jr., 72

William “Bill” D. Watt Jr. was born March 5, 1951, in Oceanside, Calif., to William D. and Maxine Watt. Growing up at the beach was just the best! The ocean remained in his heart forever. As Bill grew, he developed a love of electronics, tinkering, learning and all outdoors — interests he carried throughout his lifetime. Mexican trips, cross-country skiing in Alaska, biking at the beach, hiking and camping in the Sierras, duck hunting at the Salton Sea, deer hunting in Nevada, deep sea fishing in the Pacific, fly fishing on the Kern River, and halibut fishing in Alaska with Jason were among his favorite memories. As a lover of music and an audiophile, Bill took great enjoyment in building his home theater and in all forms of live entertainment. The stock market became a daily passion as he watched his retirement kitty grow. Always up for a new adventure, he and MJ enjoyed many foreign trips.  

After graduating from San Diego State University, he began work as an auditor for ARCO and had the opportunity to travel extensively, including living in Brazil and Alaska, where he met MJ. After their wedding, they returned to California, where he continued his work with ARCO, eventually holding four patents and a postgraduate degree from UCLA. Bill took great pride in his dedication to his work. 

A practical man, Bill was someone who could be relied upon to help with any task and who always had a kind word and a piece of wisdom to share. He took special pride in being a father and spent countless hours helping and supporting his son in school, sports, Boy Scouts, and life in general. Upon retiring from HP, he and his wife moved to Idaho, where he joined Coeur d’Alene Rotary.  In retirement, he made many friends, including his treasured neighbors. All who knew him would describe him as a curious man, a loyal friend and a devoted father.  

Bill felt his volunteer service in the Yorba Linda Presbyterian Church, where he was an elder and deacon, and at Kootenai Health, where he served on two volunteer committees, greatly enhanced his life. His zest for reading and learning continued up until his final hours. Bill felt when you stopped learning, you stopped living. As a testament to that, he took his current book, "Capital Investments for Dummies," to Hospice.  

In his final two years, he was touched by the many relatives and friends who came to visit “one last time” — some came more than once. Each of those visits made him feel so loved and renewed the importance of friendship. Those visits gave him a “lift” to help him bravely continue his difficult journey. 

Please know how much your efforts meant to him.

Bill lived his life bravely and faced all challenges head-on from his childhood through his retirement years. He believed and modeled: “It is what it is; now let’s move forward.”  

Bill passed Feb. 7, 2024, and is survived by his wife, Mary Jane (MJ) Watt; son Jason Watt; sisters Anne Oddy, Laurel Whitley, Mary Ellen Davis, and Bette Houlemarde, all of California; brother Jim Watt of Texas; as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters Bonnie and Barbara.   

Bill’s Celebration of Life will be a luncheon at noon in Hayden on March 5, 2024. For further info, please contact MJ (208-719-0870).

Bill and his family wish to thank his caring hospice team members: Cheryl, Gil and Lisa (Crest Hospice); Sonora, Shawnie, and Dave (Auburn Crest Hospice); and the staff at HONI. A special thanks to Dr. Angela Pana and Dr. Philip Kladar for being so supportive during Bill’s final hours.

In lieu of flowers, Bill’s wishes are for contributions to one of the following: Coeur d’Alene Rotary International, Michael J. Fox Foundation, American Cancer Society, Crest Hospice, Auburn Crest Hospice or Hospice of North Idaho. 

Please visit Bill’s online memorial and sign his guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.