Joetta Watson carrying on Pelahatchie tradition

By Susie A. Wolfe

    Joetta Watson is continuing her family’s tradition of living in a small town and raising her children in Pelahatchie. Her parents, Joe and Patsy Watson, were born and raised in Pelahatchie, as were her 11 siblings, many still living in the area. 

    Watson talked about why she chooses to live in Pelahatchie. 

    "It’s about family. Just small town living where everyone knows everyone and looks out for everyone. I wanted to stay close to my family and raise my children in the same close-knit community."

    Watson is a Lead Title Specialist with Insurance Auto Options where she has worked for five years. She has two sons, Elijah Watson, 17, a junior at Pelahatchie High School, and Edan Williams, 6, a kindergartner at Pelahatchie Elementary. She said that the Pelahatchie School System is "awesome."

    A 2003 graduate of Pelahatchie High School, Watson said, "Pelahatchie High School will always hold a special place in my heart, and those memories will always bring me joy." She was active in almost every school sport, including cheerleading, when she was there.  

    Her memories on growing up in Pelahatchie include "the summers of playing kickball with cousins and friends and taking a break to drink water from the hydrant and enjoy the sweet taste of honey suckles. Some days, we would walk around the community picking plums from the trees and simply enjoying the hot summer days. PYA baseball/softball played a huge part in my childhood, as well as Girl Scouts." 

    The Watsons are a close clan who get together often for cookouts, bar-b-ques and annual family trips to places like Las Vegas and Gatlinburg. They often have 20-25 people on their annual trips.

  Her siblings include John Earl Watson, Morton, deceased; Gerald Watson, Pelahatchie; twins Kenneth and Kent Watson, Morton; Alethea Watson, Pearl; Jeffrey Watson, Pelahatchie; Orenthal (Flip) Watson, Pelahatchie; Eric Watson, Chicago, Illinois; Jacqueline Watson-Loggins, Powder Springs, Georgia; Mitchell Watson, Byram; and Jack Watson, Jackson.

    "I am forever grateful to call Pelahatchie my hometown…to raise a family and live this small-town Pelahatchie life," said Watson.