Richard "Rich" L Watson Sr.

Richard (Rich) L. Watson Sr., age 79, of Sylvania, Ohio, passed away peacefully in the comfort of his home on March 17, 2026. Rich was born to Florance M. (Dickerson) and George E. Watson on April 18th, 1946. He was one of 18 brothers and sisters.

Rich was a long-time employee of Toledo Fence & Supply and also Poe McKown Fence company where he mastered the art of installing residential fencing in and around the Toledo area. He was a true craftsman when it came to building fences, and could often be found helping friends and family with their projects when needed. Rich was a hard-working man and was always willing to help someone in need, especially when it came to his family. He had a sense of humor that was topnotch and loved to share it with everyone. Later in life Rich held positions at Raceway Park and Flower Hospital where he worked in security and valet services, respectively. During this time, he was undergoing aggressive treatment for lung cancer and, to the surprise of his doctors, went on to beat it for 20 years. After retiring due to health issues, Rich found peace in spending time with his beloved family, camping, fishing, caring for the yard, patrolling the neighborhood on his trusty scooter, and the occasional Fireball shot with family and friends. Rich was a treasure to his family and will truly be missed by all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Florence and George, his ex-wife, Marcia; and his 16 siblings: Arthur “Bud”, Betty, Catherine, Dorthea May, Eugene, Fred, George, Grace, Judy, Kenny, Maragret, Paul, Ronald, Rosella, Sharon, and William.

Left to cherish his memory are longtime partner, Donna Watson, son Greg (Cheryl) Miller, daughter Robin Watson, son Rick (JoAnna) Watson, sister Rosie (Carl) Dye, niece Cheryl (Tony) Foley, nephews Michael (Brandy) Watson, and Tony (Jeanie) Watson. He will also be affectionately missed by his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, many more nieces and nephews, along with great nieces, great nephews and great- grand nieces and nephews.

“You held a special place in many hearts and for that we are grateful. I will always be thankful for everything you provided me, the things you taught me, and most importantly the time I shared with you. You were my “Old man” and I will cherish you always, Dad. I speak for all of us when I tell you we love you dearly and will see you again. Rest easy.”

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Elara Hospice for their compassionate care and support. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Visitation will be held at Newcomer Funeral Home, 4150 West Laskey Road, Toledo, Ohio, on Tuesday, March 24, from 4:00–7:00 p.m. Funeral services will take place on Wednesday, March 25, at 11:00 a.m., with burial to follow at Ottawa Hills Memorial Park.