Kenneth Eakin Watson, Jr., age 83, died in his sleep at his home, the Residences at Wingate at Silver Lake in Kingston, on March 4,  from complications of lung cancer.  

  Born in Worcester in 1928 to Kenneth E. and Katharine (Gilbert Harris)Watson, Mr. Watson grew up in New Rochelle, N.Y.  He graduated early from New Rochelle High School to join the Army Air Corps.  During World War II, he was stationed at Keesler Field in Biloxi, Miss. and served as a flight instructor for B-24 Bomber pilots.  He had a lifelong passion for jazz and Big Band music and was a talented drummer.  As a young man he had the opportunity to play with some of the Big Band orchestras travelling through New York and he continued his interest in music playing occasionally with friends well into his later years.  

  Following the war, Mr. Watson attended Philadelphia College of Science and Textiles (now Philadelphia University).  Following graduation, he returned to New Rochelle to join the J. W. Wood Textiles sales firm in New York City.  In 1956, the family moved to Wilton, Conn. where they lived until 1972.  He was active in the Wilton Playshop, acting in many local productions, including his favorite role as Ensign Pulver in the play Mister Roberts.  A longtime skier, having started on the local golf courses of New Rochelle, the family enjoyed a ski house near the Sugarbush Resort in Vermont.  During retirement, Mr. Watson and his wife, Anne, settled on the shores of Lake Candlewood in Brookfield, Conn.  

Mr. Watson leaves his wife Anne R. Watson, also at Wingate at Silver Lake; his son, Kenneth E. (Terry) Watson, III of Duxbury; his daughter, the late Katharine Anne Noble; three grandchildren, Christopher Ian Watson of New Milford, Conn., Richard Dean Watson of Brookfield, Conn., and Kenneth E. (Kip) Watson, IV of Duxbury; and one great-grandchild, Anne Katharine Watson of New Milford, Conn.  A memorial service will be held later this spring at the Brookfield Congregational Church.  Contributions may be made in Mr. Watson’s memory to Doctors Without Borders USA, P.O. Box 5030, Hagerstown, MD 21741.