Phyllis Rosa & Keith Ralston Watson

Celebrating the Lives of Phyllis Rosa Watson and Keith Ralston Watson  

Phyllis Rosa Watson (nee Ellis)

Sunrise: December 19, 1932 │ Sunset: February 28, 2021

Phyllis Rosa, born December 19, 1932, in Summerfield Chapelton, Clarendon, was the only child of Albert Ellis and Edith Lopez. Albert died when Phyllis was quite young and she was raised primarily by her mother, Edith, who was very religious, and her older half-sister, Sylvia Masters-a master seamstress. Growing up, Phyllis was a free spirit, loved athletics, and was an avid sprinter. Though from “country,” Phyllis spent many of her summers and Christmas holidays with Edith’s sisters, her dear loving aunts Zelma, Lulu and Melba, at their residence on Hagley Park Road, Kingston.  

Phyllis graduated from Clarendon College and moved to Kingston to work. While working at Worthy Park Estate, she met her tall, dark and handsome life partner, Keith Ralston Watson. When Keith moved to London in 1954, to pursue his chartered accountant degree, Phyllis made her way there several months later. They got married and started their family with the arrival of Kim Margaret.  While Keith pursued his professional goals in finance and accounting, Phyllis, who always wanted to be a nurse, put those dreams on hold, and began working as a secretary at the venerable British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). After Keith completed his degree, and received an offer of employment from the Jamaican government, Phyllis, Keith and Kim returned to Jamaica in 1963. Jacqueline Anne (Jacqui) and then Richard Ralston Alexander, came along a year and three years later, rounding out the Watson clan. 

Phyllis, now a mother of three, had a career in insurance at Motor Owners Mutual, where she met life-long friends, Audrey Shirley and Blondell Chue. From there, she went on to pursue a career in Real Estate, working for Richard James Associates, where she met friend MJ Henriques. Phyllis can be credited with providing the sage real estate investment advice for the family that led to the purchase of favorites, Goodwood, the family home in Manor Park for the past 43 years, and BelleTerre, the family weekend get-away in Upton, Ocho Rios. Phyllis can also be credited with encouraging the children to do more, by giving back, going as far back as when Kim, as a teenager at Immaculate Conception High School, organized a group of other children in the neighborhood to host an event to raise funds for the Bustamante Children’s Hospital. Phyllis was a frequent attendee at the well-heeled annual Jamaican Women of Washington (JWoW) charitable fundraiser high tea events, an organization led by Jacqui in Washington, DC, that raised significant funds for numerous community-based organizations in Jamaica working to improve the health and well-being of underserved women and children.

In the early 80’s, when Kim got married and Jacqui went off to Howard University (HU) in Washington, DC, at the young age of 16, Phyllis and Keith bought a house there and Phyllis went up to settle Jacqui in and support the newlyweds.  A few years later, after Richard graduated from Munroe College, he joined his siblings. While in Washington, Phyllis became the substitute mother to several Jamaican students at HU, with the house serving as the Jamaican Grand Central Station. Keith continued to work in Jamaica and support his family, traveling between Jamaica and the US. Phyllis, now in her mid-50’s, decided to bring life to her deferred dreams of becoming a nurse, and she enrolled in and completed the certified nurse assistant program, with a focus in geriatric care.

After the children graduated, Keith and Phyllis sold the Washington home and bought homes in Florida, finally settling in Boca, where Phyllis enjoyed the lifestyle, ready access to shopping and medical care, especially as Keith battled with dementia in his later years.

Phyllis spent most of her final years in Jamaica, where, as Keith’s dementia worsened, she continued to be a loyal, protective wife and caregiver, making sure his meds were in check and his meals were prepared, just right.

Phyllis (PhilB as she was affectionately called by her children) loved to eat good food, deh pon street, (aka road dog), and with her dry wit, relish in a rude joke, or two. She was especially fond of going to the beach and of her most recent favorite spot, Jamaica Inn, Cottage 1, in Ocho Rios.

Phyllis left an indelible imprint on anyone she came in to contact with. She was a people person; warm, friendly, didn’t care where you came from, loved to hear each persons individual story, give advice, hangout with her children’s friends, and stay current on the latest pop culture news (especially Harry and Meghan). She delighted in using her iphone and ipad and was a pro at using text, whats app and conversing with emogees.  Everyone was touched by her deep warmth and kindness.

She will forever be in our hearts.

 “Softly the leaves of memory fall,

Gently I gather and treasure them all.

Unseen, unheard, you are always near,

Still loved, still missed, so very dear.”

 

Keith Ralston Watson

Sunrise: July 30, 1932 │  Sunset: March 21, 2021

Keith Ralston Watson was born on July 30, 1932, in Kingston, Jamaica, to Beatrice Eugenie Findlay and Edgar Ralston Watson.  Keith, the eldest of ten children, as a young boy, was a quiet, bright, an avid reader, who loved to draw, read and write poetry and solve crossword puzzles.

Growing up, Keith, though quiet, was known to be a no-nonsense person, a brilliant orator and writer, and was very serious about his academics. He attended St. Simon College, where he met two of his life-long friends, Clive Williams and Tai.  He then attended Kingston Technical School, where he completed his studies in accounting before starting to work for the Worthy Park Estate Sugar Company, where he ultimately met the young, beautiful Phyllis Rosa Ellis, who would later become his wife.

In 1954, at 22 years of age, Keith moved to London to pursue advanced studies in accounting/finance. Phyllis joined him shortly thereafter and they got married and started their family with the arrival of Kim Margaret. While pursuing his studies, Keith worked for the London County Council, and, upon graduating with his chartered accountant degree, with a job offer to work with the Jamaican government, he and Phyllis returned to Jamaica in1963, where Jacqueline Anne (Jacqui) and then Richard Ralston Alexander were born, rounding out the Watson clan.

Keith believed in hard work, being methodical and he had a strong work ethic. He spent the majority of his professional career in the sugar industry in Jamaica, meeting his good friends George Russell and Mike Blakely along the way.  Keith worked for many years at Innswood Sugar Estates, making that daily drive from Kingston to Spanish Town, before moving to National Rums where he served as Financial Comptroller and Company Secretary. There he was credited with providing sage strategic direction and applying sound management and accounting principles that helped to build a solid financial and investment portfolio for the company before he retired.

Keith, a true Leo, was the King of his family and a great provider. He was a very proud, dependable, conservative family man and, with his finance and accounting background, was committed to making certain that his children understood and appreciated the value of a dollar and following a budget - “u think money grow on trees!”.  He, along with Phyllis, also believed in the important bond between man and God, and insisted that the children learn about the role of religion in life. So, religiously, every Sunday, they were dropped off at the non-denominational Grace Missionary Church-no excuses tolerated nor allowed.

Keith was a member of Kingston Lodge #1933 and he was initiated on July 7, 1971. He quickly proved himself a very keen and committed Mason and was elected to serve as Master of the Lodge effective February 1, 1978. As Worshipful Master, Keith had a stellar year, with the children smirking when they fielded the frequent calls that came in to speak to the “Worshipful”, were in awe as they watched him study and prep for his speeches, and looked forward to Lodge family day gatherings with his lodge friends, Rufus Chang, Neville Miller, Lloyd Logan and their families. After his year as Worshipful Master, Keith (Brother Watson) continued to make significant contributions to his Lodge, serving in various capacities, including Assistant Director of Ceremonies and Chaplin, a position he served in for eight (8) years until January 2012. 

After retiring in the 90’s, in his early 60’s, Keith would spend extended periods of time with Phyllis, at the home in Florida, meeting up with friend, Fred Lazarus, and taking trips to Washington to visit with his children and grandchildren, but never staying “too long” as he always saw Jamaica as the best place for him, or anyone with any sense, to be.

Keith, with his no nonsense, straight up, to the point, no chaser attitude, was fondly referred to in his later years as Frank by his children’s friends. Everyone knew that to enter the Watson home, required displaying the utmost respect to the King, and his environment, and that any discussion would receive his very Frank opinion.

Keith lived his life modestly, with integrity and quiet faith. He loved to discuss politics, have intellectual conversation, “with sensible people”, and was the ultimate family weight watcher-never missing the 5lbs, or more, that you may have gained. He relished tranquil time and always preferred to be right in his home, reading the newspaper, solving crossword puzzles, and watching TV. During his later years, though Keith battled with dementia, he never lost awareness of who and what was most important in life: Family (or how much weight you may have gained).

Keith leaves behind surviving siblings, Caswell, Copeland and Pamela (Canada); Lorna (Georgia); Janet (New York); Rudolf (St. Mary, Jamaica) and Sharon (London). Deceased; Earl and Edward.

He will forever be in our hearts.

“Those we love don’t go away

They walk beside us every day

Unseen, unheard but always near,

Still loved, still missed, and forever dear.”

Keith and Phyllis leave behind their three children Kim, Jacqui and Richard and five grandchildren, R. Scott and Marcus Salandy De-Four; Chad Anthony Price; Ella Rosa and Edgar Ralston; son-in-laws, Ricardo Salandy De-Four and Dr. Steven Price, and daughter-in-law, Noor Hendricks Watson.