Edward Glen Watson

Edward Glen Watson, 68, of North Port, died on Monday, December 2, 2019 at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Ed was born on December 26, 1950 in Huntington, West Virginia. He was the only child of Clifford and Annette (Calvitto) Watson. The family soon moved to Ed's hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, where he would reside for most of his life. He was a graduate of Anderson High School, where he played baseball and football, and where his two boys would later attend. He was a devoted son, and after sadly losing his father at an early age he remained dedicated to his mom, later moving into her home in Florida to tirelessly care for her during a long illness before she passed away in 2016. In his professional life, Ed was an exceptionally talented and hard-working salesman. He had a long and successful career with the Saalfeld Paper Company, throughout which he treasured the countless friendships he made in the business. He was a mentor to many. Over the years, he logged hundreds of thousands of miles in his Cadillac making sales calls from Indiana to West Virginia. He had a gift for connecting with people that made an impression not only on his colleagues, but on his children who would sometimes accompany him on those trips, and who would listen in wonder to their father as he made phone calls from his home office. Ed was most proud of his children and grandchildren. He is survived by his son Zachary (Katrina) of Brooklyn, New York; his son Peter (Ashley), his daughter Annie Giesting and her children Hailey and Lucy, all of Cincinnati, Ohio; and his stepdaughter Dawn (Jason) Frisbie and her children Conner and Ryleighann, of Wilmington, Ohio. His beloved son in law Brad Giesting tragically died of cancer in 2016. Ed was a loving and dedicated father. He took great joy in spending time with his kids, watching them grow up, and seeing their accomplishments. He was always eager to offer them advice, and they'll always remember the many lessons he taught them. His children fondly remember Sundays, when Dad would drive them downtown to the Sawyer Point playground as they listened to ‘Casey's Top 40' on the car radio. They loved the delicious breakfasts he made, and the shish kebabs, burgers, pork chops and steaks he'd grill out on the deck for dinner. They took happy family vacations to places like Florida, Mexico, the Virgin Islands, and Lake Cumberland, and they enjoyed attending many Reds and Bengals games together. They cherish the memories of all the fishing trips, ice cream at Graeter's, and his mischievous sense of humor. Weekends and holidays would often see big gatherings at the house with extended family and friends and plenty of good food and drinks. Ed loved to have fun, and he loved to show others a good time. His good friends brought so much happiness to his life - And he had a lot of them! But Edward was most lucky to have found Edwina: The love of his life, his wife of 28 years, and wonderful stepmother and grandmother to his children and grandchildren. Ed and Winnie met while both working at Saalfeld Paper, and they seemed to be made for each other. The love they shared together was plain to see. They were a great match, and Winnie gave Ed the happiest years of his life. In recent years they retired to their beautiful home in Florida, and they enjoyed relaxing together, taking a memorable trip to Europe, having their grandchildren over to swim in the pool, and getting to know their many new friends in their new neighborhood. As Ed's health declined, Winnie devotedly cared for him and remained steadfastly by his side. The comfort that her compassion and kindness brought Ed and their family during this time will be an endless source of gratitude for them all.