Joan Rene Watson

Joan Rene Watson 68, of Stacy MN, passed away June 1 2025, at home in her sleep with her family present.

Joan was born in Huron, SD on Dec 1 1956 to John and Jean DeRungs. She graduated Valedictorian from Moose Lake H.S. in 1975. She then graduated in 1979 from St. Scholastica with a French and Business major. During that time, through mutual friends, she met and fell in love with Jim Watson from Duluth MN. They married on September 2 1978 and settled in Duluth. She worked as a Materials Manager at St. Luke’s Hospital till 1987, during which time she earned her MBA from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. After a brief time at Abbot Northwestern Hospital in the Twin Cities, she became the Director of Materials Management at Naeve Hospital In Albert Lea.

Having achieved her long held goal in hospital management, she then moved to work for Lawson Software as a product manager and consultant for healthcare software developed there. During this time she joined Toastmasters, serving as District 6 governor and eventually an international director. She also achieved her certification as a master gardener, eventually running the Isanti County Master Gardener program.

Joan had always been a high achiever. She was raised believing that nothing was too impossible or too difficult if you put your mind to it. Throughout her life she was always involved in as many activities as could be fit into a day. Professionally she was forever earning new certifications or joining and/or running as many related groups as possible. At home she was just as active in her little free time crocheting, playing piano, and reading. Most of the time, however, she was usually knee deep in her many flower and vegetable gardens scatted throughout her yard.

As an avid theater and music lover, she often spent her weekends in theaters as a season ticket holder for the Hennepin theater trust, or taking in concerts in both Minneapolis and St Paul’s orchestra halls. She also loved to travel and did so very often for work and, whenever possible, for fun. These trips took her all over the US, Europe and Asia starting with the month she spent in France after High School.

While the fog of the dementia eventually took these pursuits from her, the gardens she tended, both physical and in the hearts of those around her, live on. She will be sorely missed but fondly remembered by her children Matthew, Geoffrey and Katherine; her extended family, friends, and all those she tried to reach in life. Joan was preceded in death by her husband James, both parents and her brother Jerome DeRungs.

A celebration of Joan’s life will be held 1 PM – 4 PM Sunday, August 17th at Roberts Family Funeral Home, Forest Lake, MN.