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Permanent LinkRepresentative Stanley Watts View All Years
STANLEY WATTS, funeral director, farm owner and former state legislator, died at Chariton, Iowa, November 20, 1959; born at Kilbourne, Iowa, January 3, 1894, the son of Amos and Anna Watts; attended country school in Van Buren County, graduated from the Birmingham high school in 1912, and studied at Iowa Wesleyan College, the State University of Iowa, Iowa State Teachers College and the Williams Institute of Embalming; taught school five years, working in chautauqua shows during the summer; served in France during World War I as a member of Hospital Unit R from August 8, 1917 to March 12, 1919; married to Fannie Eide of Des Moines at Fairfield December 15, 1917; went into business at Birmingham around 1921, serving four years as mayor; elected state representative from Van Buren County on the Democratic ticket, 1931-1932; removed to Murray, Iowa around 1934, operating a funeral and furniture business in Murray, Lorimor and Macksburg; became active in civic affairs and Clarke County Democratic circles, acquired farm interests in Clarke County, specializing in the breeding of Corriedale sheep; took a partner in the operation of his business which became Watts-Soll Furniture store and funeral home; returned to the state legislature in 1956 as the representative from Clarke County, and after apparently winning re-election in November 1958, lost his seat on a contested vote soon after the legislature convened in 1959; was past president of the Iowa Pure Bred Sheep association and secretary of the Iowa Corriedale association; held the French medal of honor, was American Legion post commander, member of the Methodist Church, Masons, Eastern Star and Lions Club; survived by his wife, a daughter, Mrs. Virginia Miller of Waterloo, and a son, David Watts of New York City.