Joseph J. Watts

Joseph J. Watts, 61, of Strasburg, PA, passed away on Saturday, August 5, 2023, in Lancaster, PA.  Born in Philadelphia, he was the son of the late Edward Watts and Mary Metzger Watts.

Joseph was a 1980 graduate of Lansdowne-Aldan High School. A jack of all trades, Joe has held many positions. Among them, a laborer, security, landscaper, general contractor, driver, foreman and upper management. Although a Pennsylvania resident for most of his life, when his talents were needed elsewhere, he moved with his family quite far from their roots. He built a factory in Ireland, and remained there for a few years with his family, overseeing all aspects of the business, while his three children attended the same one-room schoolhouse their grandfather had attended decades before.  Soon after, Joe was recruited to duplicate in Seattle, Washington what he did in Ireland. Once again, Joe moved with his family thousands of miles. This time in the opposite direction to build a factory and manage it for a subsidiary of the toy & game company Hasbro, Inc. His next move brought him back to Pennsylvania where he resided in Lancaster County and vowed not to move again. His work still took him overseas dozens of times, but he kept Lancaster County as his permanent home. Joe eventually settled down working locally at the Amish Village in Ronks, PA these past few years.

When he wasn't working, Joe was a family man, raising his three children, and in the later years spending as much time as he could with his beloved granddaughters.

Until work started pulling him away, Joe was a proud member of the finest Fire Department in the Philadelphia area, the Clifton Heights Fire Company, where he made lifelong friends.

Joe had an Irish temperament, that was balanced with his charm, wit, sincerity, and the knowledge that all who knew him, knew that he'd always have their back. Joe was an amazing storyteller and could weave a tale like no other, many of them true. When he could carve out time for himself you could find him visiting family, fishing in a local lake or in the Gulf of Mexico, watching old history-based movies, listening to music and usually whistling along, playing miniatures wargames with his son, brother, nephew, and friends, or sitting down with an ice-cold Budweiser with his brother-in-law and anyone that cared to join them.

He is survived by his children, Erin Watts, of West Caln, PA, Susan (Jeff) Reeser of Parkesburg, PA, Nathaniel (Katie) Watts of Leola, PA, grandchildren, Madelynn and Averi Reeser, and siblings, Edward (Leslie) Watts, Gerry (Emily) Watts, Donna Chernak, Mary (Joe) Marziano, Ann (Don) Toogood, Robert (Moira) Watts and Eileen (Hughie) Smith, as well as many nieces, nephews, friends and colleagues.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at the Wilde Funeral Home, 434 Main Street, Parkesburg, PA, 19365, with a viewing starting at 10:00 a.m.  Interment will be private and at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.