Thomas Dean Watt

Thomas Dean Watt was born on November 19, 1956, at William Newton Memorial Hospital in Winfield Kansas. He was the son of Thomas William Watt and Yvonne Dianne (Schrader) Watt and the youngest of their three children.

Tom's father was a farmer in Winfield Kansas, raising wheat, corn, hay, sorghum, and cattle, and he also did body and fender repair work as a second source of income for the family. Tom and his sisters all worked on the family farm while they were growing up. For recreation the family enjoyed water skiing, swimming and camping out in the summers at Hulah Lake in Oklahoma, about 90 miles from Winfield.

He attended Winfield High School, then moved to Oregon with his mother for a few years. Tom then moved back to Kansas and worked for a time with his father in the body and fender repair business. During this time, Tom was searching for God. While reading the Bible at lunch one day, a co-worker approached him and invited him to a church convention. Tom made his profession of faith later that year and sought to serve Christ for the rest of his life. While still in Kansas, he spent three years in the ministry. After this period, he moved to western Kansas and met and married his first wife Carey and gained a daughter Cara.

After living in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado for a few years, Tom and his family moved to Missouri so Tom could pursue his lifelong love of learning and attend college. While going to college he worked for the post office as a mail carrier. Some years later on a road trip, Tom fell in love with the Black Hills and transferred to the Belle Fouche, South Dakota post office.

Tom loved to fix things. Later in his postal career, he got a position as the Rapid City Building Facility Maintenance worker and an Electronics Technician. He dearly loved his maintenance job as he was able to use his many tinkering skills to keep the facility and machines functioning. It was while working in the Rapid City Post office that he met his long-time friend and wife Terri.

Tom was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed cross country skiing, snowmobiling, ice-skating, hiking, biking, boating and fishing. Tom loved dry socks. Any outdoor activity presented the potential hazard of wet socks, so a dry pair of socks was always close at hand. Papa was always prepared. No place was ever too far for Papa Watt to come and see his grandkids. He loved to surprise his family. Trips with Papa were always a great adventure. Whether it was a week of boating and fishing, snowmobiling, or visiting family in Oregon, Papa had a plan and you never knew what to expect!

Tom never lost his love to learn. He could often be found with a cup of coffee and a good non-fiction book. He shared this passion with his grandchildren, always looking for just the right book for each grandchild.

Tom was diagnosed with ALS in August of 2019 and passed due to the disease on September 15, 2021. Tom is survived by his wife, Terri Watt; his two sisters, Linda and Cynthia; his daughter Cara and Andy Doerflinger; his step-daughters, Jen and Hans Johnson, and Jamie and Nick DeGeest; and eight grandchildren Sam, Cary, Zac, Kaylee, Gunnar, Kazlyn, McKaen and Kooper.

Services in honor of Thomas will be held at the Canyon Lake Senior Center in Rapid City, South Dakota on Saturday, September 25, at 2:00 pm. Graveside services to follow at the Pine Lawn Cemetery in Rapid City, South Dakota.

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