Eleanor Watson

Eleanor Watson was born in Columbus, Ohio on August 11, 1936 to Rose and Jerry Roch. Eleanor grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota with her younger brother Jim. She was a part of the Czech cultural organization Sokol and she attended Murray High School. She played the clarinet and the saxophone in the school band. The Murray High Band had the distinction of being the only band in the US that performed on ice skates to play at hockey games. In 1956 she took a bike tour with friends through Europe visiting several countries with a Canadian guide (whose Canadian French didn’t go over well in Paris, but made for some great stories). At the University of Minnesota, Eleanor included in her studies the Russian language. After she graduated CumLaude in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science, she went to Soviet Russia in 1959 with a study group. This was just six years after Stalin’s death at a time when travel remained restricted. Eleanor became a life-long traveler, exploring all the continents except Antarctica. Her travels included the Seychelles Islands, New Zealand (3x), Polynesia, Norway, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Nepal, Egypt, Czechoslovakia (& later to both countries after the ‘velvet divorce’), Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, China, Croatia, Switzerland—to name just a few places! She rode the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Mongolia in 1983 and later completed the full railway passage when she went to the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East in 2017.

Eleanor and James Watson were married 0n December 27th, 1960. They had three children (Jean, Daniel, and Ann). They met at a folk dance, and they kept dancing, dancing, and dancing together with various groups, clubs, and festivals. The polka was one of their favorite dances. Eleanor and her family settled in Logan, Utah in 1967 where her husband taught mathematics at Utah State University. James took a sabbatical in Australia bringing Eleanor and the whole family with him for a year in 1977. James was called back in 1983 for another year in Australia when Eleanor and their youngest daughter, Annie, joined him. In Logan, Eleanor and James enjoyed gardening (‘forced gardening for their kids,’) and were members of the Cache Community Band for over 40 years. Eleanor participated in concerts and parades. She continued to play the clarinet and bass clarinet in USU’s Clarinet Choir, Alumni Band, and Symphonic Band for several more years. Later in life, she took up the button box, an extraordinary, beautiful instrument— not to be confused with an accordion! Eleanor was a member of the Emeriti at the university serving as treasurer and performed other board member tasks.

While caring for her husband and family, Eleanor worked as a secretary at Utah State University. Unusual for a woman at the time, she developed adept computer skills and her keen eye for details caught the attention of universit faculty. Professors hired Eleanor with their grants as their personal secretary and she was kept on as administrator for the Soil Science and Biometeorology Department for twenty-five years. Her working life didn’t keep Eleanor from making life-long friends through activities and hobbies nor did it prevent her continued global traveling. She also volunteered for ‘Somebody’s Attic’ the proceeds of which went to abused women through CAPSA (currently CAPSA supports all persons).

Eleanor’s love of the outdoors began early in her life. While she was in college, Eleanor spent a summer working at Glacier National Park in East Glacier Lodge, operating the switch board for phones, keeping all of the lines straight and in the right plugs. In retirement, she returned to the park system in Denali, serving from 1996-1997 as a Human Resource Department administrator (rather than working in the laundry as she was originally hired). She subsequently became a campground ranger at Grand Teton National Park. She did many solo hikes as a ranger with a radio and had her share of bear, moose, bison, and tourist encounters. Eleanor had many adventures in the outdoors with her family and friends too, mainly hiking and camping. Numerous summers in the family camper they explored Montana, the national parks, and other areas of the country (mostly in the west).

By far, Eleanor’s favorite sport was powder skiing. When she was about 18 years old, Eleanor went on her first ski trip to Aspen, Colorado. Her mother was worried and a little shocked because it was co-ed! Living in Logan she became an avid skier, regularly hauling her young children up to Beaver Mountain Ski Area and subsequently taking her grandchildren, and then her great grandchildren to ski the “Beav”! She skied and baked! The Beaver Mountain lifties awarded Mrs. Watson best place in their ‘cookie competition’ year after year.

For several years she also took her children and their families to Grand Targhee Ski Resort for Christmas to cat ski powder with her. She kept skiing through her early 80s! Eleanor is survived by her brother Jim Roch (wife MaryAnn), her son Dan, her two daughters Jean (husband Dick) and Annie (husband Jade), her grandchildren Brandon (wife Celeste), Kristy (husband Isaac), Matt (deceased) and her great grandchildren Jade, Toby, Kelly, Sirena, James, Watson, and Krystalyn. She had many beloved kitties throughout the years too.

This brief biographical note doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of what a remarkable, charismatic, and strong woman Eleanor was! She confronted with courage a rare and painful affliction of cancer (vulvar) with it’s complications that took her life on March 4, 2026. Upon her wishes, there will be no service. Friends and Family, you all meant so much to her and you were a very, very cherished part of her life! We would love it if you would share your pictures and stories of Eleanor. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Eleanor’s favorite charity, ‘Dogs for Better lives’ at support.dogsforbetterlives.org