Mary Ellen (Loft) Watts

(February 26, 1927 – March 12, 2020)

Mary Ellen Watts, age 93, died on Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Franciscan Hospice House in Indianapolis. She was a resident of Lafayette, Indiana, and a former resident of the New Richmond community.  She was born near Dayton, Indiana, on February 26, 1927, daughter of the late James Frederic Loft and Dorotha Olive (Hoshaw) Loft.

After graduating from Dayton High School in 1945, Mary worked as a telephone operator for the General Telephone Company in Lafayette, Indiana. On February 25, 1949, she married John Thomas Watts (deceased) at Trinity Evangelical & Reformed Church in Mulberry.  They raised their children on the family farm near New Richmond.  Mary was an active member of Pleasant Hill United Church of Christ in Wingate where she served as a Sunday School teacher, VBS teacher, sang in the choir, assisted in church activities, and attended UCC association and conference meetings. She later became a member of Immanuel United Church of Christ in Lafayette. In 1970, she began a nineteen-year career as a veterinary receptionist and technician for Dr. Phil Michal in Crawfordsville, Indiana.  Over the years, Mary and John enjoyed attending Dayton Alumni banquets and Purdue football games, hosting Christmas Eve for the Watts family, fishing in Minnesota and driving throughout the country.

Survivors include two sons, JT (& Mary Etta) Watts of Danville, IL, Lynn (& Cindy) Watts of Murrieta, CA, and a daughter, Marcia (& Steve) Ritchie of Lafayette.  Mary has five grandchildren, Mason (& Danielle) Ritchie, Michael (& Camden) Ritchie, Stephanie (& Brett) Koenig, and Matthew and Sarah Watts.  Five great grandchildren include Zachary and Sabrina Ritchie, Tommy, Nicholas and Jackson Koenig, and a sixth great grandchild expected in July.

Mary was preceded in death by brothers Ralph, Paul, Gerald, Raymond, Donald and James Loft and sisters Elizabeth Carlson, Dorothy Brown and Betty Clift.  Surviving sisters include Miriam Dye, Joy Stuckel and Janet Anderson.

Private family visitation on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, at Family and Friends Funeral Home of Wingate.  Private graveside services will follow with Rev. Dr. TJ Jenney and Pastor Charles Anderson officiating.  Memorials may be made to Pleasant Hill UCC, Wingate.  Visit us online to share a memory or leave a condolence at www.familyandfriendsfh.com .