Obituary of Kenneth W. Watts

Funeral Services for Kenneth “Kenny” Woodrow Watts of Elsberry, MO will be at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 13, 2025 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Rev. Jess Wilson of Green Valley Church of Hartville, MO will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery near Elsberry. Serving as pallbearers will be Adam Dreisewerd, Ross Howard, Luke Ross, Ryan Niehoff, Boyd Mills and Tom Bryant. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Sonny Taylor, Jimmy Jeans, Gene Burkemper, Bill Halley, Ron “Veno” Vaughn, Philip Lagemann and Manford Hammond. Kenny, 88, was born on April 1, 1937 in Elsberry, the son of Aleck Woodrow and Freda Emma Strus Watts. He passed away early Thursday morning, August 7, 2025 at his home near Elsberry. A lifelong resident of the Elsberry community, Kenny was a 1955 graduate of Elsberry High School. He was united in marriage on June 29, 1957 at the First Christian Church in Elsberry to Adaline Louise Culwell. This union was blessed with five children: Lonnie Joseph, Donnie Gene, Mona Louise, Lois Lynnette and Sally Suzanna. At a young age, Kenny bought his brother’s shoe shine kit and went to work for himself shining shoes at the Broadway Tavern. This led to other business endeavors including delivering papers, delivering ice, scooping coal, mowing lawns and hauling hay. He worked at the glove factory and eventually worked doing concrete work. He married the girl of his dreams in 1957 and a family soon followed. He came from a long line of iron workers and was eventually able to get his iron worker’s permit. In 1959, he bought his first farm. He quit iron working and became a fulltime farmer in 1966. Over his lifetime, he acquired approximately 850 acres. He was a passionate farmer with a penchant for Pepsi and was the biggest kid and kidder “this side of Dameron”. Kenny was preceded in death by his parents, Aleck and Freda Watts; one brother, Marvin Watts (1981) and his wife, Sidney Traynor (2022); one sister, Julia “Judy” Scherrer (2007); and twin sons: Donnie Gene Watts who died at birth, and Lonnie Joseph Watts who died October 27, 2020. Survivors include his beloved wife of 68 years, Louise Watts of Elsberry; three daughters: Mona Harshman of Eolia, MO, Lois Bryant and her husband, Tom, of St. Charles, MO, and Sally Gnade and her husband, Mark, of Elsberry; thirteen grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. Kenny also leaves several nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and many friends. Visitation will be held from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to Oak Ridge Cemetery in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 South 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343. Online condolences may be made at www.carterricksfuneralhome.com.