Jack Kenneth Watson

Jack Kenneth Watson, loving husband, proud father and grandfather, self-made businessman and die-hard LSU fan passed away peacefully on August 26th after an extended illness. He was predeceased by his father, Jack Kirby Watson. Ken is survived by wife, Nita; mother, Helen Moore of Pineville, LA; sister, Ginger Cespiva of Pineville, LA; aunt, Mollie Ann Mount; stepdaughter, Sheree (Bill) Matthews of Lake City, SC; stepson, Kris (Gina) Spradlin of Florence, SC; grandchildren, niece and nephew, and many special friends. That’s where anything normal sounding ends with this anything BUT normal man. “J.K.”, Ken, PaPaw, Papa Ken, or even Poo-Pie… Ken was someone special to everyone who knew him.Born in Louisiana and a 25+ year transplant to South Carolina, Ken never forgot his roots and still enjoyed his boiled crawfish, Community Coffee, and frequent calls with his favorite Louisiana ladies: his mother, Helen; sister, Ginger, and Aunt Mollie Ann. When this LSU Tiger met his tall, Texas-Two-Stepping match in Nita, they fell head over heels in love and both lives were forever changed. The couple married and headed across country to build their life together. In South Carolina, “J.K.” began his business NutzToYou from a small “hot nut” machine route to what now, together with the help of son, Kris, has grown into a successful family run distribution company. It has become a legacy that Kris and Nita are proud to continue. When he wasn’t working on NTY business, patrolling the neighborhood from his LSU golf cart, or loving on his sweet pups, Katy and Mollie, Ken’s best moments were spent with his devoted wife and best friend. Ken’s final wish was to be home on the deck, quietly sitting with “his girls” watching the fountain and looking for “Duck-duck,” and that’s where he was. Ken loved Nita supremely and was a proud father to stepchildren Sheree (Bill) and Kris (Gina), but his eyes simply weren’t big enough for his grandchildren, who he loved and bragged on constantly. He shared a love of seafood with Kristina and enjoyed teaching her to eat crawfish. When Bailee got into Clemson, he was so proud of her going to a “big football college,” even if she picked the “wrong” Tigers. He was proud listening to Jackson’s entrepreneurial schemes and was excited to see where they would take him. He was keenly interested in all his grandchildren and always wanted to know their plans. Bailee, Jackson, Kristina, Kris, Jr., and Kathryn will miss their Papa Ken. (Whether they realize it now or not.) As for the rest of us, we will miss him, too, whoever he was to each of us. Golf buddy, business associate, neighbor, friend, son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, the guy who introduced you to the Boogie Kings… Whoever Ken was for you, I promise you he was deeply loved and will be greatly missed. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, August 30th, 2020 at 3:00pm at Stoudenmire-Dowling Funeral Home, Florence, South Carolina.Covid-19 protocol will be observed.