OBITUARY

Rev. Dr. David Lowes Watson was born on March 31, 1938 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England and passed away on June 20, 2026 in Rowlett, Texas, USA.

David was pre-deceased by his parents Norman Lowes Watson and Annie Ward Grigs Watson, cousin Geoffrey Watson (Julia), and cousin Derek Watson-Grigs (Jo). He is survived by his wife of 65 years Rev. Gayle Turner Watson, son Timothy David Lowes Watson, daughter-in-law Alicia Nicole Worth Watson, grandson Mason David Lowes Watson (Elizabeth), great-grandson Lucas David Lowes Watson, grandson Simon John Worth Watson, daughter Catherine Dessa Watson-Ferris, son-in-law Peter Guy Carson Ferris, grandson Duncan Benn Adcock Ferris (Morgan), great-grandson Samuel Casey Ferris, sister Margaret Waters, niece Dr. Ruth Ann Gregory, great-nephew John Victor Bowcock, cousins Leslie Watson (Heather), Yvette Henderson (the late Stuart), and Jill Hunter (Ross) along with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

David, Dad, Grandpa, and Great-Grandpa had a long, amazing life and a highly respected professional career within the United Methodist Church. He was a world-renowned Wesleyan scholar and traveled to many countries teaching about John Wesley, Charles Wesley, evangelism, and Covenant Discipleship. At his niece Ruth’s wedding in 1989, David was seated next to Dr. Stephen Hawking. Noting that they had both attended Oxford University at the same time and that their respective studies reached towards the sky, Dr. Hawking said that David’s studies clearly reached higher than his – he was not wrong.

David’s secondary education began at Dame Allan’s School in Newcastle-upon-Tyne where he was a member of the American Field Service. From 1955 to 1956, he spent a year abroad living with a family in Williamsville, New York. Upon his return to England, he served two years in the Royal Air Force and continued in the reserves until 1965. He attended Merton College at Oxford University and in 1961 earned his secondary school teacher certification – eventually teaching at The Duke’s School in Alnwick, Northumberland.

In 1959, a stunning young lady from Birmingham, Alabama named Gayle Turner (also a member of the American Field Service) traveled to England where she met David. Six weeks after meeting each other, a firm love was formed. Two years of trans-Atlantic letter writing and one trans-Atlantic telephone proposal later, they married in Irondale Methodist Church (Birmingham) and (despite “misgivings” from both sets of parents) began their long, amazing life together. After a honeymoon in Niagara Falls, they moved to England where Dessa was born in 1963 and Tim was born in 1965.

From 1958 until 1971, David served as a local lay preacher in the British Methodist Church. In 1971, David and Gayle decided to move to the United States where David would begin answering many callings from God along his path to becoming a fully ordained pastor in the United Methodist Church. He received his Master of Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri while serving as pastor at Grace United Methodist Church in East St. Louis, Illinois and at Prospect Park United Methodist Church in Fairview Heights, Illinois. During his time in Illinois, David served as Chairperson of the Metro-East Council, an inner-city cooperative ministry, and on the Board of Directors of the Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House, a United Methodist inner city community center. During these years, Gayle and David made many special friends who have remained spiritual blessings in their lives to this day.

In 1975, the family moved to Holly Springs, North Carolina where David continued his education and earned his Ph.D. from Duke University in Durham while serving as pastor at Holly Springs United Methodist Church. David’s doctoral thesis was entitled “The Origins and Significance of the Early Methodist Class Meeting.” In 1978, he answered another call to accept a position at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. There, he was named the McCreless Assistant Professor of Evangelism at Perkins School of Theology and taught evangelism to those working towards their Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees. He also began writing and publishing many books and articles on Covenant Discipleship that led to traveling across the United States and the world sharing the teachings of John Wesley and how Covenant Discipleship groups continued what Wesley began with his early Methodist class meetings.

In 1984, David and Gayle moved to Nashville, Tennessee where he served on the General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church in the positions of Executive Director and Executive Secretary for Covenant Discipleship. During their first time living in Nashville, Gayle earned her Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt University – eventually going on to become a United Methodist pastor herself in 1995. In 1992, David and Gayle moved to Mt. Airy, Maryland where David served as Professor of Theology and Congregational Life and Mission at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC and where Gayle served as pastor at Westminster United Methodist Church and at Damascus United Methodist Church. In 1998, they moved back to Nashville (Murfreesboro), Tennessee where David served as Director of Pastoral Formation for the Nashville Episcopal Area of the United Methodist Church and Gayle served at senior pastor at Blackman United Methodist Church.

David tried retiring but felt God’s calling again to serve as Interim Senior Minister at West End United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2010, he officially re-retired and spent many years enjoying travels with Gayle and relaxing in Murfreesboro. He especially enjoyed watching deer wander into their massive back yard early in the morning – confident in the fact that they would never be venison. In 2021, David and Gayle moved to Rowlett, Texas to be closer to family.

His books and publications are numerous (his CV is 25 pages long!) but he is best known for: Accountable Discipleship (1984; revised 1985; five printings); The Early Methodist Class Meeting – Its Origins and Significance (1985; revised 1987; reprinted 1991; Spanish edition Discipulos Responsables; German edition Wenn zwei oder drei in meinem Namen versammelt sind: Verantwortliche Nachfolge in der Gemeinde); Wesley and the Class Meeting (Korean edition of The Early Methodist Class Meeting – 1986); God Does Not Foreclose (1990); Covenant Discipleship: Christian Formation through Mutual Accountability (1991) (Mandarin edition 2000); Forming Christian Disciples – The Role of Covenant Discipleship and Class Leaders in the Congregation (1991); Class Leaders – Recovering a Tradition (1991). In 1992, he provided “An Order for the Commissioning of Class Leaders” that is now in the United Methodist Book of Worship. In 1998, he contributed to the World Book Encyclopedia under the topics of “Methodists,” “Charles Wesley,” and “John Wesley.”

The family had many enjoyable vacations driving around the United States – once in a VW Beetle. After Tim and Dessa were on their own, David and Gayle began embarking on their own unencumbered travel. They returned many times to Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico and ventured farther afield (whether for fun or for teaching) making many new friends in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Peru, Nicaragua, Norway, Sweden, Mexico, Germany, Chile, Singapore, South Korea, Bahamas, East Malaysia, Brazil, Cambodia, Hong Kong and, of course, in England and Scotland. It appears that the only US state David and Gayle never visited was Hawaii.

David shared a deep belief in the importance of faith and social justice with President Jimmy Carter and once had the immense honor of introducing President Carter at an ecumenical event. David was thrilled when President Carter visited his hometown of Newcastle back in 1977 and exclaimed “Howay the Lads!” – the rallying cry of David’s beloved Newcastle United Football (NOT soccer) Club. Before Newcastle Brown Ale was available in the US, he would return from visits back home with his briefcase emptied of papers but full of bottles of “Newkie Broon.” In the last few weeks of his life, Dessa made sure there was always a six-pack of Newcastle Brown in the fridge Tim kept him well supplied with good single malt.

David sang Charles Wesley hymns with gusto (using a physical hymnal to sing the tenor part) and remained a faithful member of the United Methodist Church. While living in Rowlett, he and Gayle worshipped regularly at First Rowlett UMC where they proudly listened to their grandsons Mason and Simon as active leaders in music worship. David and Gayle frequently attended Cochran Chapel UMC to enjoy their Easter and Christmas Cantatas. Because he is stationed out of state with the US Marines, his grandson Duncan was unable to visit much but David was immensely proud of Duncan becoming a pilot and sharing his love of flight.

David’s sermons were excellent, thought-provoking, and well-known for containing references to his family, his children, numerous family pets, Star Trek (the original series – he was having none of the newer ones), Monty Python’s Flying Circus, and Monty Python movies. References from the movie Life of Brian were often used to illustrate similarities between controversies and misunderstandings from 2,000 years ago and the present day. Having grown up in the English school system, David said that John Cleese’s role as a centurion in the anti-Roman graffiti scene was a spot-on depiction of his former Latin teachers.

David’s musical tastes ranged from classical (with Mahler and Sibelius being his favorites) to classic The Who (The Who Sell Out). His LP collection contains many fine recordings of orchestras and conductors from around the world as well as comedy gems from Bob Newhart, Bernard Cribbins, The Goon Show, and Kenneth Williams. Once David and Gayle moved back to Texas, David enjoyed Sunday afternoons with Dessa at the Meyerson listening to The Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Their last shared concert was on June 1, 2025 when he was moved to tears hearing Mahler’s Symphony #2 (“Resurrection”).

In addition to all that’s noted above, David enjoyed electric and commemorative trains (his N-Gauge layout in Murfreesboro encircled an entire room), commemorative airplanes (over 50 of them all at 1:400 scale to clearly compare real-life sizes), a good single malt (with Tim), photography (a love he shared with Dessa), reruns of Fawlty Towers (his favorite being “Hotel Inspectors”), model buses (especially those from by-gone days in Newcastle), Flying Scotsman memorabilia, any meal with shrimp, cookouts by the pool at Tim and Alicia’s, and cuddling his great-grandson Lucas.

David was a loving husband to Gayle, an exceptional dad to Tim and Dessa, a proud grandfather to Duncan & Mason & Simon, and a joyous great-grandfather to Lucas & Samuel. Even as his dementia worsened, he would continue to teach and preach. When he recently asked rather loudly if anyone was listening to him, one of his caregivers, Valliere, said “I’m listening, David” to which he replied – “I wasn’t speaking to you. I was speaking to all of them!!”

The family would like to thank Olanda Gray, Magreth Mellya, Sheila Mutasa, Amity Hospice, and especially the amazing Valliere Smith. Under their respectful and loving care, David was allowed to pass peacefully at home in Gayle’s arms. We are eternally grateful.

His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:23 NIV

SERVICE & ENDOWMENT INFORMATION

VISITATION:

A visitation will take place in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm in Kirby Commons inside Kirby Hall, Perkins School of Theology on the campus of Southern Methodist University, 5915 Bishop Blvd, Dallas, Texas 75205.

Free parking will be available on the SMU campus in the Meadows Museum Parking Garage. Please enter the parking garage from Schlegal St. (just east of Bishop Blvd) using the left entrance gate labeled Permitted Parking Only.

You may use this pin drop for directions to the parking garage entrance. https://maps.app.goo.gl/QxNj9PEjVAjKxYok7

Walking directions from the garage to Kirby Hall can be found at https://maps.app.goo.gl/b1pHH4qq1SdKXmrt5 MEMORIAL SERVICE

A memorial service will take place in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 10:00 am at West End United Methodist Church, 2200 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203. A gathering will be held immediately following the service in McWhirter Hall. David’s ashes will rest in the West End United Methodist Church columbarium.

Livestreaming of the service can be accessed at www.westendumc.org/livestream

A recording of the service may be viewed at www.youtube.com/@westendumc29

ENDOWMENT:

Should you wish to make a donation in David’s honor, an endowment is being established at SMU Perkins School of Theology.

Gifts may be directed to The Rev. Dr. David Lowes Watson Endowed Scholarship Fund for Evangelism and Covenant Discipleship, Gift Processing, PO Box 750402, Dallas, TX 75275.

On-line gifts may be made through https://smu.edu/DLWatsonMemorial