Ben F. Watts

The life of Benjamin Francis Watts began on December 17, 1928 and ended on April 6, 2024 when he passed at the Age of 95.

Ben was the youngest of six children born to Ben and Mary Watts.  Ben was born in the house his father built on the corner of Highway 238 and Water Gap Road.

Ben started his education at Murphy Grade School and transferred to Provolt Grade School for 6th, 7th and 8th grades.  He attended Grants Pass High School in the class of 1946.  In 1945, before completing high school, he entered the Merchant Marines.  After returning from the Merchant Marines he returned home and spent time on the Watts Family farm.

In December of 1949 Ben married Annabelle Wood and they started their family.  Teresa, Bennie and Yvonne were born.  Later they adopted 4 year old Fred .

During the time his family was growing, Ben drove a log truck during the summer and worked for Pat’s Sanitation company during the months when logging was shut down.  For a short time the family moved to Poulsbo, Washington where Ben worked in a saw mill and also for The Foss Brothers Slaughter House.  After this the family returned to the Watts Family farm  where they lived and helped his parents.  Ben also returned to work in the woods.

In November of 1968, Ben and Mary Jean Stone were married.  In 1972 they built a new home on Watts Mine Road.  Ben added a truck shop and Ben Watts Logging was born.

Ben belonged to the Provolt Community Church where he was baptized on June 21, 1987 in the nearby Williams Creek.  He served on the Church Board for several years.

Ben’s other affiliations included The Elks, Oregon Log Truckers Association, Oregon Hunters Association  and Williams Creek Cemetery Association.

Ben was an avid hunter and good sportsman.  He taught Mary Jean how to hunt.  Ben also loved to travel the Western States.  The caveat was that there would be a hunting camp at the end of the trip!!!  

He hunted Montana several times with a BLM employee with whom he bonded here in Josephine County.  They would camp and hunt for 2 months at a time.

Wyoming and Idaho were also hunting destinations. During many of these trips he was joined by family.  He took several trips to Alaska where Caribou were in his sights.  They were in Alaska for a moose hunt when the twin towers in New York were attacked on  9-11.  This cancelled the hunt.

In 2016 Ben and Mary Jean moved on to another phase of their life.  They sold their big home on Watts Mine Road and purchased a much smaller one-level home on 5 acres a mile down the road.  Ben had a shop built and busied himself with clearing and maintaining the new place.  

Ben continued his favorite pastime by bagging a nice four point black tail deer during the 2022 hunting season.  Until May of 2023 he continued to be active on the new place cutting dead trees, piling and burning brush.  Ben's Happy Place was when he could be out in the woods among the trees.

Ben was preceded in death by his children Yvonne Watts, Bennie Watts and Fred Watts.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Jean, daughter Teresa Moak (Tim), step-children Ginger Bowne, Teresa Hyde (Larry) and Max Stone (Gail), numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

A Graveside service is being held at Sparlin Cemetery on Saturday April 13, 2024 at 1pm. A reception is to be held at Tim and Teresa Moak's residence immediately following the service. Which is located directly behind the Provolt church.