Robert LaVern Watt, age 78, of Kiester, died Friday, Aug. 11, 2006, in Kiester. Funeral services will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, at Grace United Methodist Church in Kiester with the Rev. Lynn Borgeson officiating. Military honors by the Kiester American Legion Post will follow. Burial will be held Wednesday, Aug. 16, at Memorial Park Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa. Visitation will be today, Monday, Aug. 14, at Bruss – Heitner Funeral Home in Wells from 6 to 8 p.m. and also one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday.

Robert L. Watt was born on April 10, 1928, in Ute, Iowa, the son of Ersel Raymond and Zida Mae (Stevenson) Watt. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1946 and was discharged in 1948 as a seaman first class and remained in the Reserves from 1948 to 1952. He married Norma Fisher on Aug. 16, 1950, in the Methodist Church in Smithland, Iowa. He attended several colleges and in 1952 he began his career as a teacher and coach, eventually being a high school principal, elementary principal and superintendent. He was an educator for 41 years. He was a member of the Grace United Methodist Church and served on the board. He was a member of Epsilon Pi Ta Industrial Arts Fraternity and selected for Who’s Who in the Midwest. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion and a 20 year charter member of three different Lions Clubs. He served as Lion president for two years and Zone chairman two years. He received the Melvin Jones Award which is one of the highest awards from the Lions and was selected Zone Lion of the Year. He enjoyed golfing, his students and helping others.

Robert is survived by his wife Norma Watt of Kiester; son Brian L. Watt of Frisco, Texas; daughter Brenda Jean and her husband Charles William Crandall of Flippin, Ark.; step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren; brothers: Gene Watt of Prescott, Ariz., Charles and wife Donna Watt of Ida Grove, Iowa; four brothers-in-law and five sisters-in-law: Betty Graham of St. Peter, Mo., Kendell and wife Shirley Crawford of Moville, Iowa, Gary and wife Barbara Fisher of Miami, Okla., Dave and wife Marilyn Ray of Yuba City, Calif., Dick Monk of Lawton, Iowa; aunt, Pat Anderson of Ida Grove, Iowa; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, two sisters and a step-great-granddaughter.