Local Police Officer Shot and Killed 12/25 | Golden Skate

Local Police Officer Shot and Killed 12/25

Tonichelle

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Jun 27, 2003
Officer Watson married a classmate of mine's mom when we were in Jr. High. I haven't talked to Mike in a while, but my parents are friends with the Watsons... so this really hit home. :(



Web posted Friday, December 26, 2003

Forster arraigned for death of Kenai Police officer
By MATT TUNSETH
Peninsula Clarion

An 18-year veteran of the Kenai Police Department was fatally shot while on duty Christmas night.

Patrol officer John Watson, 43, died as the result of gunshot wounds suffered at a residence on Watergate Way in Kenai's VIP subdivision, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Following a lengthy standoff with police, David Forster, 33, of Kenai was taken into custody in connection with the slaying.

Forster, a fishing guide, was arraigned in Kenai District Court Friday afternoon in front of Judge David Landry, on charges of first degree murder and first degree assault.

As he entered the courtroom, Forster appeared upbeat, grinning at both the large number of spectators in the gallery and Kenai Police Lt. Kim Wannamaker, who sat beside Prosecutor June Stein at the prosecution table. He came in chained to another defendant who was arraigned on an unrelated case.

During his approximately 30-minute arraignment, Forster repeatedly made unusual gestures, often peering at the ceiling through cupped hands. He winked at members of the press several times, alternately grinned and glared at Wannamaker, whistled and whispered to the defendant chained alongside him.

He was restrained by bailiffs at one point, and the other defendant ‹ who appeared noticeably uneasy sitting next to Forster ‹ was eventually unshackled from Forster and placed in a separate seating area.

He spoke several times during the proceedings, mostly to answer Judge Landry's routine yes and no questions.

However, when asked if he would like to be represented by counsel, he answered, "I want to use my pastor, because he's my witness."

"We're not talking about a witness, we're talking about someone who can represent you in a court of law," Landry answered.

At the request of Stein, Landry ordered Forster held on a $500,000 cash only bond, and he was remanded to the custody of the state.

An Alaska State Trooper press release gave this account of the Christmas night incident:

At approximately 7:41 p.m. Thursday, trooper dispatch in Soldotna contacted the Kenai Police Department for help conducting a welfare check.

Police were asked for assistance in locating a newer silver colored Ford Excursion being driven by Forster. A citizen had reported to troopers that Forster and a 21- year-old female had left her residence in a Ford Excursion, and that Forster appeared intoxicated and agitated.

Watson went to Forster's residence on Watergate Way to look for the vehicle. He reported the vehicle was not there and was leaving the area, when at 8:16 p.m., he reported that he had just seen a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle driving past him.

"He turned around and reported that he had stopped the vehicle in Forster's driveway. The female companion asked if she could take two dogs from the Excursion into the residence. Officer Watson allowed her to take the dogs into the house," troopers reported in the press release.

"A few minutes later Officer Watson radioed dispatch that he needed assistance. A Kenai Police Department sergeant and an Alaska State Trooper responded to the scene.

"It is believed that Forster continued to act aggressively toward the officer. While attempting to arrest Forster a struggle broke out. At some point during their struggle, Forster was able to obtain Officer Watson's service weapon, a GLOCK 21, 45-caliber semi-automatic handgun. It is believed that two shots were fired, one which struck Officer Watson in the head, killing him. Forster then walked into the residence where his female companion took the gun from him and put it in the bedroom," said the press release.

"Moments later, the KPD sergeant and trooper arrived. Upon their arrival, the sergeant radioed that Officer Watson was down with a possible gun shot wound to the head. He subsequently advised that officers were involved in a standoff with what was believed to be an armed subject inside the residence.

"Shortly after the standoff began, the 21-year-old female came to the door and ran from the residence, unharmed.

"Numerous attempts were made to have Forster surrender and finally, at approximately 1:07 a.m., Forster came out of the residence and surrendered without incident. He was arrested and transported to Wildwood Pretrial Facility," said the trooper press release.

Officer Watson leaves a wife and family.

The Alaska Bureau of Investigation and the State Crime Lab are investigating.

Gov. Frank Murkowski was ordering state flags to be flown at half-staff in Watson's memory.

Donations are being accepted by the Kenai Firefighters Association in advance of establishing a special account. For more information, call 283-7666.
 
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JOHIO2

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Jul 29, 2003
Toni,

How truly sad.....A man just doing his job. Let his family know that we here grieve with them.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
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Jun 27, 2003
Ken Cissel(who is interviewed in this article) goes to our church... he's really having a tough time dealing with it...

Dad knew the jerk who shot officer Watson...

this is all just surreal

(My pastor is the KPD Chaplain, yesterday during service when he was talking about it he could barely get anything out. Not only is he grieving he's just so very mad LOL... our pastor used to be a cop... so he's really just not having a good time of it...)

Suspect jailed after shooting of Kenai patrolman
By MATT TUNSETH
Peninsula Clarion

The peace and quiet of a cold Christmas night in Kenai was shattered at around 8:18 p.m. Friday, when an 18-year veteran of the Kenai Police Department was fatally shot down after a confrontation with a Kenai fishing guide turned deadly.

Patrol officer John Watson, 43, died as the result of gunshot wounds suffered at a residence on Watergate Way in Kenai's VIP subdivision, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Following a lengthy standoff with police, David Forster, 33, of Kenai was taken into custody in connection with the slaying.

Forster, who operates River and Sea Outfitters out of his Watergate Way home, appeared in Kenai District Court Friday afternoon before Judge David Landry on charges of first-degree murder and first-degree assault.

According to police and charging documents in the case, officer Watson was contacted by troopers, who had gotten a call from a concerned citizen who said Forster and his 21-year-old fiancee had just left the citizen's home. According to the caller, Forster appeared intoxicated and agitated, and the woman was crying.

Charging documents say his fiancee sought help for Forster from a local pastor Thursday after the 14-year Kenai resident said he was "feeling Satan."

According to troopers, Watson arrived at Forster's home, which he found unoccupied. He was leaving the area, when at 8:16 p.m., he reported he had just seen a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle driving past him. Watson turned around and followed the vehicle to the suspect's driveway. He allowed the female to enter Forster's home, along with two dogs. At that point, troopers say, Watson called for backup and apparently was in the process of trying to arrest Forster.

According to the charging documents, a struggle ensued, and Forster wrestled away the officer's gun, a .45-caliber GLOCK semiautomatic pistol. He then allegedly shot Watson in the back, hitting him in his protective vest and sending him to the ground. Forster then allegedly shot Watson in the back of the head.

At that point, the woman told investigators, Forster entered the home, where she took the weapon from him and placed it in a bedroom.

Officer Watson's body was flown to Anchorage for an autopsy Friday, then returned to Kenai later that day. The body has been accompanied by a uniformed officer the entire time and will be until it is cremated following a funeral service Wednesday in Kenai.

When the call went out around 8:30 p.m. Thursday that an officer was down, every available police and emergency worker in the area responded.

Forster's house was surrounded, and a lengthy standoff ensued.

Police blocked off neighborhood streets, and informed area residents to shut off all lights in their homes, according to neighborhood residents who were home at the time.

Shortly after the standoff began, the woman ran from the home, and officers then spent approximately four hours negotiating with Forster for his surrender. According to trooper spokesperson Greg Wilkinson, Forster gave himself up at 1:07 a.m. Friday.

"Forster came out of the residence and surrendered without incident," Wilkinson said in a press release issued Friday.

Forster was taken to Wildwood Pretrial Facility, where he was questioned by troopers and held until Friday afternoon, when he was taken to the Kenai Courthouse and arraigned.

As he entered the courtroom, Forster appeared upbeat, grinning at both the large number of spectators in the gallery and Kenai Police Lt. Kim Wannamaker, who sat beside Prosecutor June Stein at the prosecution table. He came in chained to another defendant who was there on an unrelated case.

During his approximate 30-minute arraignment, Forster repeatedly made unusual gestures, often peering at the ceiling through cupped hands. He winked at members of the press several times, alternately grinned and glared at Wannamaker, whistled and whispered to the defendant chained alongside him.

He was restrained by bailiffs at one point, and the other defendant ‹ who appeared noticeably uneasy sitting next to Forster ‹ was eventually unshackled from Forster and placed in a separate seating area.

Forster spoke several times during the proceedings, mostly to answer Judge Landry's routine yes and no questions, but also to argue with both the judge and prosecutor Stein, who refused to address Forster ‹ something which appeared to anger him.

"She won't even look at me," he said.

When asked if he would like to be represented by counsel, he answered, "I want to use my pastor, because he's my witness."

"We're not talking about a witness, we're talking about someone who can represent you in a court of law," Landry answered.

Forster also spoke up when Landry tried to explain the assault charge. When the judge told him he was being charged with assault for using a deadly weapon, Forster blurted out, "That was his deadly weapon," apparently referring to Watson's gun.

At the request of Stein, Landry ordered Forster held on a $500,000 cash-only bond, with the conditions that if he's released he must have a third-party custodian and not have contact with his fiancee. He was remanded to the custody of the state and led out of the courtroom without incident. A grand jury is scheduled to convene Tuesday to consider the case. Landry set Forster's next court appearance for Jan. 5 at 3:15 p.m.

Wannamaker said Friday that a thorough investigation into the incident is ongoing.

"We've turned the entire investigation over to Alaska State Troopers, and they're conducting the investigation," he said.

The loss of its longest-serving officer comes as a big blow to the Kenai Police Department.

"He mentored and trained every officer. ... John was the caretaker of the new officers," said Kenai Police Chief Chuck Kopp, who was vacationing in Pittsburgh when Watson was killed. Kopp was back in Kenai by Friday.

"He had a profound influence on all the officers. He was a pillar and strong encouragement to the troops. ... One of the things that the officers will miss, is that he was very steady," Kopp said. "John cared deeply about everybody. When you lose someone like him, it just leaves a big hole.

Three members of the state's critical incident stress management team met with officers Saturday to help them deal with the loss, Kopp said.

Watson's shooting is the first of its kind on the peninsula. He became the 40th peace officer to die in the line of duty since Alaska became a state.

Kenai Mayor John Williams said the city is doing everything it can to deal with the tragic loss of one of its finest employees.

"It was just a terrible situation to have occur, especially when it did," Williams said.

The city has been working to ensure administrative and legal issues are taken care of, as well as to make sure Watson's family has everything they need to cope with their loss. Watson left a wife, Kathy, as well as a daughter and six stepchildren.

"We just have to cope and try to support the family," Williams said.

The mayor said he'll be attending a memorial service scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday at Kenai Central High School. Gov. Frank Murkowski has ordered state flags lowered to half-staff until after the service, and Williams said he's heard from state lawmakers and public safety officials that a number of them, including Lt. Gov. Loren Leman, will be making the trip to Kenai for the service.

"I'm sure there will be quite a contingent," Williams said.

In the meantime, the city, its residents and law enforcement officials will be forced to come to grips with one of the worst tragedies to ever strike the area.

Ken Cissell, a longtime friend of Watson's who attended Friday's arraignment of Forster, summed up the community's feelings about the tragedy during an interview Saturday.

"It just doesn't make any sense," Cissell said. "It probably never will."

http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/images/122803/forster.jpg
David Forster stares into the palms of his cuffed hands during his arraignment at the Kenai Courthouse on Friday afternoon. Forster is accused of the first-degree murder and first-degree assault on Kenai police officer John Watson.
Photo by Joseph Robertia

http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/stories/122803/new_122803new001001.shtml
 

dlkksk8fan

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Jul 26, 2003
How very sad. :( My brother-in-law is a police officer and everyday that he is out there working he is putting his life on the line. My prayers go out to this young officer's family.
 

Tonichelle

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Jun 27, 2003
his funeral was today... the place, from what I understand, was jammed packed... I'm very very sick so I didn't go, and mom and dad didn't want Duane to go... so they stayed home... they just got done showing it on the news.... so very sad :(
 

sk8ing_lady2001

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
This was terrible. I hope they catch the man that shot the police officer to death. The officer was a great man! :(
 

Tonichelle

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Jun 27, 2003
Angie, they've got the jerk and he's awaiting trial...

unfortunately Alaska does not have the death penalty. (there's the conservative in me again ;))
 

Tonichelle

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Jun 27, 2003
Community says goodbye
Peace officers from across state pay last respects

By JENNY NEYMAN
Peninsula Clarion

The level of formality and reverence that was the hallmark of slain Kenai Police Officer John Watson's funeral Wednesday awed many area residents who had never witnessed such a ceremonial show of respect.

It was a bittersweet sight: a fitting honor to the 18-year Kenai police veteran and beloved member of the community, yet also a sad reminder of the brutal way in which he was shot dead in the line of duty.

Four-hundred-plus public safety officers drove and flew from around the state and beyond to attend the funeral at Kenai Central High School.

Most had never met Watson, had never seen his easy smile or heard him talk about his love for his family or his hobby of riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

But they didn't need to know him. All they needed to know was he was a fallen colleague, so he deserved their respect.

"Everyone in law enforcement feels that pain, regardless of whether they knew him or not. He was a part of the law enforcement brotherhood," said Officer Scott Roberts with the Anchorage Police Department.

Roberts joined the solemn sea of officers in black, blue, tan and green uniforms that crowded into the Eagles Aerie No. 35255 next to Peninsula Memorial Chapel on Wednesday morning to get instructions for the processional to Kenai Central High School. The crowd waited quietly as Kenai Police Chief Chuck Kopp thanked them for their presence.

"I'm overwhelmed by the support by the Anchorage Police Department (and others), simply overwhelmed. I love you guys," Kopp said.

The procession was led by Watson's patrol car, driven by a fellow Kenai officer, another patrol car carrying Chief Kopp and Kenai Lt. Kim Wannamaker, a hearse with Watson's American flag-draped coffin, and vehicles carrying Watson's family. Alaska State Troopers from Soldotna's E Detachment and Kenai Fire Department officers were next in line, since they responded to the call Christmas night when Watson was killed.

Other law enforcement vehicles from across the peninsula and the state filled out the procession. As the officers arrived at the high school, they parked their vehicles and stood at attention behind them in the sub-zero morning air until Watson's body had been taken inside.

The ceremony gave some comfort to Watson's grieving family, said Tom Watson of Michigan, John's brother.

"It's the first time I've seen that -- the whole camaraderie of the brotherhood of the service," he said. "You see movies like that, how they all gather together and help the family, and it's helped us. Those guys definitely are all broken up, you can tell they miss John."

During the funeral, the officers listened to speakers tell what a fine officer and man John Watson was. The officers filled a good portion of the lower level of the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium at KCHS, but their numbers were more than doubled by the community members who filled the rest of the auditorium and spilled into the KCHS gym, where a closed-circuit system was set up.

Almost all already knew Watson, and had stories of their own to remember him by.

Jerry R. Carlson remembers Watson from the many times he stopped by Carlson's pawn shop in Kenai, sometimes on official business, but more often just to chat.

"Every time he drove by he was always waving and smiling really big," Carlson said. "He was just a neat guy."

Carlson also knew Watson through their mutual interest in Harleys.

"He had the best license plate on a Harley in Alaska -- 'Frozn,'" Carlson said.

That license plate does not at all describe Watson's personality, however. Many people listed his warm, friendly nature and teddy bear-like qualities as his most notable traits.

Craig Breshears of Anchorage said he was always impressed with Watson's positive attitude. Breshears is the director of the Alaska chapter of Harley Owner's Group, and Watson often sought his advice when he became the director of the newly formed peninsula HOG chapter. It was a challenge for Watson at first trying to round up enough volunteer support to make the group a go.

"Instead of complaining to me, he asked for solutions," Breshears said. "... What strikes me most about John is I never, in three years of knowing him, heard him complain."

Jim Graige of North Kenai knew Watson for years and went on many summer rides with him.

"He really loved people," Graige said. "He didn't usually sit on the sidelines, he was involved, whether it was police work, civic things, the Elks chapter, teaching kids about drugs. ... He was just so interested in people and really enjoyed being around people."

His love extended to more than just people, said Sandy Taylor, who lives near Kasilof. She first met Watson in about 1996 when he responded to a call of a moose hit by a vehicle near the bowling alley in Kenai. Taylor saw the animal get hit and after going to its aid saw that it was a pregnant cow. Watson had to shoot the animal, but Taylor asked him to help her do a C-section to try and save the calf. He gave her a pocket knife to make the incision, held the animal's legs and gave her a blanket to rub the placenta off the calf. The calf didn't make it, but Taylor never forgot Watson's willingness to help.

"He tried, that's the kind of guy he was," Taylor said. "They talk about (his love for) people, but he also loved animals. I'll never forget him. Even though he had other things to do, he stayed there and helped."

Hearing stories like these has been a comfort to his grieving family, Tom Watson said.

"The services have been just wonderful," he said. "They've shared just wonderful memories of John. Everybody comes up and wants to share a special memory of John and how wonderful he's made their lives."

Out-of-town family members, including Watson's mother, two brothers and sister, returned to their homes Thursday and took memories of the funeral and stories from Watson's friends with them.

"I think we're coming to grips with it," Tom Watson said. "It's been rough. We're trying to work through it."

Watson's colleagues at the Kenai Police Department and his many friends in the community are doing the same.

"He'll be missed, no doubt about it," Graige said. "That's a spot in our community that will never be filled. He was pretty much a one-of-a-kind guy."


http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/images/010204/emptyseat.jpg
Kenai police officers leave a chair empty in memory of their colleague who was killed Christmas night.
Photo by Mark harrrison/Peninsula Clarion
 

Tonichelle

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Jun 27, 2003
Officer Watson's acts of kindness provide comfort
By MATT TUNSETH
Peninsula Clarion

With nearly 2,000 peace officers, emergency personnel, state officials, community members, friends and family looking on, fallen Kenai Police Officer John Watson was remembered at a ceremony Wednesday at Kenai Central High School.

A day of tears and reflection for the man known as "Big John" began with a three-mile long procession of police and emergency vehicles snaking along the Kenai Spur Highway. With Watson's white cruiser leading the way, the procession slowly wound up the icy highway from Peninsula Memorial Chapel to Kenai Central High School, where the service took place.

Once there, between 400 and 500 officers from agencies across the state filed into the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium, quietly taking their seats in anticipation of a service for a man many of them never got the chance to meet.

They came from as far away as North Pole and Portland, Ore., from as close as Wildwood Correctional Center and Soldotna to honor the memory of the first Kenai police officer ever killed in the line of duty.

Watson, an 18-year veteran of Kenai's small, close-knit force, was shot and killed Christmas night, following a struggle outside a home in the VIP neighborhood on the outskirts of town. David Forster, 33, was arrested and charged with killing Watson with his own gun -- a crime that has shocked and saddened the city of Kenai as well as the state's entire law enforcement community.

But Wednesday's service was not intended to dwell on the facts of Watson's tragic death; instead, mourners focused on the countless positive actions and kind deeds committed by the officer during his 43 years of life.

His casket, draped with an American flag, was brought into the auditorium by six members of the Kenai police force. Kenai police officers then escorted Watson's large family -- including his wife, Kathy, and his seven children -- to their seats.

The officers then took their own seats on the stage, leaving one seat open in tribute to their fallen friend.

Watson's pastor, David Higginbotham of Kenai Christian Church, delivered the eulogy. Often pausing to gather himself during the emotional speech, Higginbotham described Watson as a man of strong beliefs, character and moral values.

"John throughout his life walked the talk, protecting and serving -- serving this community," Higgin-botham said.

Higginbotham said Watson was a man of faith who loved his family, his work and his Lord.

"John understood all parts of his life, the physical, emotional and spiritual, are all related, but only the spirit will survive the life we live," he said.

He also said Officer Watson was a teacher, a man who knew how to get a point across with humor and strength. The pastor related a story about when Watson pulled his daughter over for speeding. Watson was about to let Higginbotham's 18-year-old daughter off with just a warning, when he added one thing.

"Make sure to tell your dad officer Watson says hello," Higgin-botham told the laughing audience. "That's when she knew she was busted."

After Higginbotham's eulogy, the lights dimmed for a slide show featuring pictures from Watson's life.

Many in the audience, which included both musclebound cops and burly bikers, wiped away tears as scenes from Watson's life appeared on a large screen at the front of the auditorium. The slides showed Watson as a child growing up in Michigan, as a strapping teenager in football pads and as a father holding his infant daughter. They also showed a number of pictures of Watson riding his beloved Harley-Davidson motorcycle with his wife and friends through the Alaska countryside.

As the lights came back up, Kenai Police Chief Chuck Kopp rose to the podium to share a few of his memories of Watson.

He told of the numerous commendations and citations Watson had received in his 18 years on the force and read a letter from a woman who Watson came into contact with one dark night three years ago.

"The day I met officer Watson was the worst day of my life," the letter began.

Depressed and suicidal, the woman had swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills. She said she didn't remember much from that night, but what she did remember of the officer who came to her aid that night will stay with her always.

"The peace I felt as his unshaken voice reached me, I will never forget," the woman wrote.

The woman went on to say that she now owes each day of her life to the steady cop who never left her side throughout her ordeal.

"I will make every new day count," she wrote. "Your time and energy were not wasted."

Kopp said the loss of Watson leaves a big hole in his police force, and from now on, Christmas day will hold a somber significance for his officers.

"For all of us here, Christmas from this day forward will be a day of remembrance for John Watson," Kopp said.

A tearful Kopp said that, during this tough time, he takes comfort in the fact that he knows Watson has gone to a better place.

"John will never come back to me," Kopp said. "But some day, I will go to meet him."

He said the Kenai Police Department will use Watson's memory as a source of strength in the months and years to come.

"He would want us to continue to serve with courage, and honor, and this is what we will do," he said.

Alaska Commissioner of Public Safety William Tandeske and Lt. Gov. Loren Leman also attended the service. Tandeske said the loss of a police officer in the line of duty has profoundly affected the state's police and emergency personnel.

"We in law enforcement have suffered a tremendous loss. It doesn't matter what uniform you wear. ... We are all one family," he said.

Lt. Gov. Leman said that he believes that out of such a tragedy, good can come if Watson's memory is used as a way to inspire future generations of public safety workers.

"If any good can come out of this evil, I hope it is young men and women are inspired by Officer Watson," Leman said. "Alaska needs honest, dedicated peace officers like John."

At the conclusion of Leman's remarks, Kopp presented Kathy Watson with a state flag and letter of condolence from Gov. Frank Murkowski. A 21-gun salute sounded from outside the auditorium, as a lone bugler played "Taps." Watson's family was then led from the auditorium by Kenai police officers to the sound of bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace."

Following the service, Watson's body was escorted back to Peninsula Memorial Chapel by the Kenai Police Department. After the procession concluded, Kopp made one final call to police radio dispatch on the fallen officer's behalf.

"Kenai K-11 is 10-7," Kopp radioed, using police code meaning officer Watson is no longer in service.

"10-4," came the dispatcher's reply. "Rest in peace. We love you, and we'll take it from here."

http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/images/010204/Funeraloverview.jpg
Kenai police Chief Chuck Kopp honors slain Kenai police officer John Watson at a memorial service held at Kenai Central high School on Wednesday. Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner William Tandeske, far left, and Lt. Gov. Leman also spoke. Wastson was killed Christmas night.
Photo by Mark Harrison/Peninsula Clarion
 

Tonichelle

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Jun 27, 2003
John Patrick Watson
Obituary




Kenai Police Officer John Patrick Watson died Thursday, Dec. 25, 2003, in the line of duty. He was 43.

A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Peninsula Memorial Chapel in Kenai. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Kenai Central High School in the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium. Pastor David Higginbotham will officiate. In accordance with his wishes, he will be cremated following the funeral.

A memorial Mass will be held at a later date in South Haven, Mich.

Officer Watson was born June 12, 1960, in Grand Rapids, Mich., to Alfred and Sally Watson. He graduated from South Haven High School in 1978 and Ferris State College in 1981. He then served his country in the U.S. Army and was a highly decorated veteran. He served in the Anchorage Police Department Reserves before going to work for the Kenai Police Department, where he served for the past 18 years.

He enjoyed his family, friends, the outdoors and riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. In fact, he was instrumental in starting the local Harley-Davidson owners' group. He had a soft spot for children and had worked with the Boy Scouts.

He was a man of great faith and active in the Kenai Christian Church.

He was preceded in death by his father, Alfred Watson, who died in 1993.

Officer Watson is survived by his wife, Kathy Watson of Kenai; daughter, Renetta of Kenai; stepchildren, Justin Rust, Ron Rust Jr., David Rust, Michael Rust, Daniel Rust and Chelaine Rust; his mother, Sally Watson of South Haven; brothers, Alfred Watson and his wife, Diane, of Fort Thomas, Ky., and Thomas Watson and his wife, Renee, of Bangor, Mich.; sister, Mary Wilkinson and her husband, Neal, of Iowa City, Iowa; nephews, David and Ben Watson and Cole Wilkinson; nieces, Andrea, Catherine and Krista Watson and Natalie Wilkinson; and his aunt and uncle, Patsy and Bill Switzer of Plainwell, Mich.

A memorial fund has been established in Officer Watson's name through First National Bank Alaska. It is the John Watson Memorial Fund, account No. 70230735.

Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.

http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/images/122803/officerwatson.jpg
Officer John Watson
 
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