Asturian-American Migration Forum

Sally Ann Alvarez Watts

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Sally Ann Alvarez Watts, 62, died of respiratory failure as a result of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) in her home in Woodbridge, Virginia, with her family by her side.

Mrs. Watts was a high school teacher for 38 1/2 years, 23 being at Garfield High School in Dale City, Virginia. Her teaching career spanned five separate decades beginning in 1969. She taught Spanish, but also taught French and English at points in her career. Teaching was her calling, as she wanted to pursue a career in teaching from the time she was seven years old. She took great pride in teaching children and helping shape their lives.

She was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Clarksburg, West Virginia and was raised in her beloved town of Spelter, West Virginia. She was a 1965 graduate of Victory High School in Clarksburg, West Virginia. She then graduated from Fairmont State College in Fairmont, West Virginia, in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in English and French and completed graduate coursework at West Virginia University.

While teaching in Jacksonville, Florida, she met her husband, Franklin Watts, who was stationed there in the U.S. Navy. The couple was married in Jacksonville in 1976 and subsequently lived in Greensboro, North Carolina and Scotch Plains, New Jersey before ultimately settling in Woodbridge in 1985.

Mrs. Watts held a love of travel, the performing arts, and, most importantly, her family. She was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Dale City, Virginia. She was a donor to and member of The Smithsonian Institution, The Colonial Williamsburg Fund, and The Friends of Mount Vernon. She is survived by her husband Franklin, a retired FBI Agent, as well as her son Gregory, a lawyer, of Woodbridge, and her brother George Alvarez, a retired physical therapist, of Banning, California.

A memorial mass is being held Thursday, May 27, 2010, at 2 p.m., Holy Family Catholic Church, 14160 Ferndale Rd., Dale City, VA 22193. All friends and family are welcome to attend. The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the ALS Association in her memory and to indicate that notification to be sent to her husband Franklin Watts: The ALS Association — DC/MD/VA Chapter, 7507 Standish Place, Rockville, MD 20855, or https://www.alsinfo

My sincere condolences to you and the family, as well as the Asturian community of WV.

Dear family and friends of Sally Ann:
I do share your sorrow,
Yours,
Marta.

Ron,
I just read about Sally Alvarez Watts. We had a lot in common and I know you will recognize some of the things I will hit on. My name is Lou Alvarez, I am the son of Mary Cueto Alvarez and Andres Alvarez, the youngest brother of Joe Alvarez, owner of the Poolroom and Store.
I am retired now and living in Orange, CA, but I was born in Spelter and spent many summers there from the late 1930s to the mid 1940s. I think your Mother was Ida Vasquez, a friend of my Mom and my aunts Segunda and Sylvia. I graduated from Fairmont State in 1958 and taught school in Ravenna,Ohio for 10 years prior to coming to CA.
I was brought up in Donora, graduated from DHS in 1948.
Ruthie Jean, Barney, Don and Jr were my cousins as was Kathryn, the Mother of Ken Menendez, wth whom I have been in touch through the A-AMF.
I saw the documentary made about Spaniards from Asturias and wish I had been a part of making it. My wife and I have been to Spain 5 times since 1980. My wife is Renee Barbao Alvarez, daughter of Maria de Carmen Barbao and Jesus (Bill) Barbao of Anmoore.

Louis
Andy and Mary were the best of friends of my mom and dad, I could tell you a story or two about the four of them . Did you have a sister I think they called her Ike ?, I can't remember her name. I often think back on the days in Spelter, a time that I would not trade, a good time to be growing up . I also remember the store ,your Uncle Joe feed a lot of people from pay day to pay day . If some of the younger boys would go in the pool roon he would ask them" Mike you got mustache" we all knew to move out. He had a name for everyone, do you remember John Gallo that worked in the store? he lived in Meadowbrook . The last time I talked to Kenny was at his dad wake , that been a while ago . Did you know Sally Ann ,they lived about three or four houses down fron your mom and dad , down the hill, her mom and dad were George and Ann Alvarez. And yes, my mom was Ida Vasquez check out the photo album their is a photo of my mom with two other people taken on the steps of the ME Church in Spelter could that be Segunda and Sylvia?

Ron,
My Mom spoke of your Mother very often. I looked at the photo of her and the two friends, they are not my Aunts. My sister's name is Sylvia Alvarez Rodriguez, her nickname is Nina. I couldn't say Sylvia when I was little. Nina is married to jess Rodriguez who is the son of Pork Chops of Donora. His Mother was Amor
Lou

Ron,
Amor is not Jess's Mother, she is his sister. His Mother was Lola. I did not know Sally Ann's parents. I do remember John Gallo. I used to deliver groceries with Ruthie Jean in the summer. I used to go swimming with Jughead and Billy Blake, Joe Farnsworth, and some of the DeFasios. I remember Marty, Joe, Frank, Augustine and Carmela. I remember Pebida, or as he was later known, Peabody, Zeising's contractor to Asturianos.
Lou

¡Ay bendito! Falleció la profesora Álvarez. A principios de los 70, yo era su alumno de español en la Escuela Intermedia Bautista de Riverside en Jacksonville, Florida. Ella era una maestra bien chévere y graciosa. Me animó en mis estudios y ahora, muchos años después, tengo un doctorado en la literatura hispanoamericana de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. Siento mucho no tener la oportunidad de decirle la noticia. Muchas veces he pensado en ella y ya le doy mis condolencias a toda su familia.

Our family wishes to reach out to the Watts Family with warmest regards. Sally Ann will be remembered by her friends and as a teacher who touched many lives.