Katie Browning Watts

Katie Browning Watts, 74, of Windy Hill Dr., Valdese, NC died Saturday, December 27, 2008 at the Burke Palliative Care Center following a lengthy illness. Born in Burke County, NC on April3, 1934, she was the daughter of the late William Smith Browning and Cozie Jeanette Stroup Browning. Katie was a member of the Morganton First Church of God. She was a retired employee of Shadowline where she worked for 47 ½ years. Katie was also a well known presence at Sossoman Funeral Home where she was a greeter for 27 years.She is survived by her son, William Keith Watts and wife, Martha, of Weaverville, NC; a brother, Herbert F. Browning of Morganton; sisters, Ann B. Carswell and husband, Joe and Nell B. Carpenter and husband, Gerald, all of Morganton; grandchildren, Ashley W. Atkinson and husband, Josh, of Florence, SC, Todd Pitts and wife, Sara, of Drexel, Christopher, Tyler, and Zeke Watts, and Jessica Clark all of Asheville; and David Watts of the home; daughters-in-law, Trudy Watts Pitts and husband, Charles, of Drexel, and Annabeth Watts Schenck and friend, Lance Hardcastle, of Asheville. Katie is also survived by sisters-in-law, Josephine Browning of Morganton and Lydia Browning of Drexel; nieces and nephews, Frances and Ronny Curtis, Connie and Buddy Mitchem, Randy and Teresa Carswell, Ronnie and Wendy Vasser, Angela Vallery, Julia and Willy Greer, Lisa and Chris Landers, Marla and Brian Black, Tommy and Wendi Duckworth, all of the Morganton area, Ray and Tina Browning of Orange, TX, Peggy and John Johnson of Dallas, TX, Dusty and Johnny Pressley of Spokane, WA, Chuck Morse of Spruce Pine, Allison Watts of Charlotte; and a great many grand nieces and nephews.In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Johnny Carroll Watts, Sr.; a son, Johnny Carroll Watts, Jr.; brothers, William A. Browning and Jack M. Browning; and a sister-in-law, Diann Browning.The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, January 1, 2008 at Morganton First Church of God with Rev. Dr. Donald Blankenship, Rev. Don Smith, and Rev. John Henderson officiating. Burial will follow at Burke Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. Wednesday evening at Sossoman Funeral Home where the body will remain until placed in the church thirty minutes prior to the funeral hour. At other times the family will be at her home. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes for memorial contributions to be made to Burke Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690.