Anna Louise Watts McKown was born on September 20, 1930 in Parsons, Kansas, and died on Feb. 14, 2022, in Opelika, at the age of 91. She was the youngest of six children of John H. and Goldie David Watts. She grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, and graduated from Rosedale High School in Kansas City and Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma, and earned a Master of Nursing degree from Yale University in 1957. She held various hospital staffing positions and taught in professional nursing programs at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky and at St. Luke’s Hospital in New York City.
She married Delos Banning McKown in 1958. In 1962 they moved to Auburn, Alabama, and lived there ever since. While living in Auburn, she worked in the Lee County Headstart Program, for the Macon and Lee County Health Departments, for Auburn University Extension Service and for Children’s Rehabilitation Service of Alabama. At various times she served as a volunteer and on the boards of the Lee County Humane Society and Lee County Hospice and participated in the Lee County Judicial Volunteer Program. She was a founding member and longtime congregant of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and enjoyed membership in the Auburn University Osher learning groups, the Humanist Discussion Group and the Auburn Study Club.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Delos B. McKown; her parents, and her siblings Roy Watts, Charles Watts, Tesabelle Watts Miller, Rosalie Watts Stewart and Lefa Watts Maddock. She was also predeceased by two nephews, Donald Miller and Daniel Maddock; a great niece, Carmen Miller; and her son-in-law Daniel John Leussing.
She is survived by her daughters, Laura McKown Leussing and Susan McKown Prygoski; son-in-law, Scott Prygoski; and grandchildren, Elizabeth Leussing (Caleb Blevins), Rebecca Leussing, Cassandra Leussing, Michael Prygoski and David Prygoski. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren who were all very dear to her. That three of her beloved nieces chose to become registered nurses brought great pride and joy to Anna Louise. In retirement, she and Delos enjoyed travelling, primarily to visit family, and they happily travelled to the biennial Watts family reunions wherever they were held along with their beloved dog Rowsby.
A memorial service will be held in Auburn at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to
Yale School of Nursing
400 West Campus Dr.
Orange, CT 06477
or www.nursing.yale.edu or
The Lee County Humane Society
1140 Ware Drive
Auburn, Al 36830 or