Houston Autice Watson, 95, of Panama City, Fl, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, January 8, 2023.

He was born to Houston J. and Georgia Mae Watson, on June 9, 1927, in Columbus, GA.  At the age of 2, the family moved back to the Graceville, FL area, where they were raised. When he was 10 years old, the family moved to Cottondale, FL, where he spent the remainder of his childhood.

Always a worker, Autice started working to help out the family when he was 13. By the time he was 18, he had loaded railroad cars, worked in a fertilizer plant, owned and run an oyster joint, worked in a rolling store, owned a dry cleaner business, raised crops, helped build his family's house and houses at Drummond Park and Wainwright Park (during the war) and sold insurance.   In 1946 he joined the Army and served 1 year, ending up in the Panama Canal Zone.  He married Muriel Leonard in 1946, sharing 70 years of marriage until her passing in November 2016.

After moving around in Alabama for several years with jobs, they moved to Panama City in 1957, where he lived the rest of his life. In 1983, he retired after 36 years of service with the Independent Life and Accident Insurance Co.  He has been an active member of Hiland Park Baptist Church since 1958, including teaching Sunday School, being a Deacon, singing in the choir and working with the Homebound Ministry.  He passed his love of music and singing down to his family, most of whom are involved in music in some capacity.  Autice enjoyed church work, gardening, woodworking and helping others.

His pride and joy was his family which includes – children Linda (& John) Mix, Carol Hegler, Rick (& Betty) Watson, David (& Stacey) Watson; grandchildren – Jetaime (& Brian) Walsingham, John (& Amy) Mix, Daniel (& Kristy) Mix, Benjamin Hegler, Rebecca (& Josh) Pickern, Alex Watson & Wesley (& Annemarie) Boyett, Kyle (& Megan) Watson, Brad (& fiancé Bethany McCall) & Eric Watson; great-grandchildren – Nolan & Gabriel Walsingham; Michael Mix; Daniel, Caleb & Abigail Mix; and Zach Hegler.

Visitation with the family will be held on Wednesday, January 18, from 6-8 pm at the Wilson Funeral Home.  A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 19, at 10 am in the Hiland Park Baptist Church.  A graveside service will be held at 2 pm Thursday at the Methodist Cemetery in Cottondale, Fla.  Active pallbearers will be his grandsons and great-grandsons.