Franklin Haskell Watson
III April 12, 1929 - September 30, 2017
After 63 years of marriage, Franklin Haskell Watson III departed this life on September 30, one month after his beloved wife Marilyn’s passing, to continue a love story destined to remain without end.
Born to a wise woman and a handsome businessman, he was named for his father but distinguished himself with “Linn,” which seemed a better fit. The halo of blond curls made him sweet, the mirth in his light-blue eyes meant mischief, characteristics which carried on throughout his life.
The darling boy grew into a handsome young man, who made friends easily among a diverse community, through which he developed a passion for culture and a proclivity for language. He spoke German fluently and conversed in Spanish and Tagalog, which served him well during a long and brilliant career in international banking.
Raised in his family home amid the tree-lined streets and growing fields of Lodi, CA, the Eagle Scout hung out at the Richmaid Creamery and Lodi Lake, where the champion swimmer served as lifeguard. His skill in the water accompanied him to Cal Berkeley, where he lettered in swimming and water polo. A strong, athletic, agile guy, he could span a swimming pool off a racing dive, water ski on one board, and float on his back while keeping his hat dry and his newspaper crisp. At 55, he entered a triathlon in Lodi because his daughter asked him to. And he won.
Although he considered pursuing a career in medicine, he chose instead to study business and join the Kappa Sigma fraternity, for which he served as president. Cal alum and Kappa Sigma advisor, Dr. Lindsay Crawford introduced Linn to his beautiful blue-eyed daughter Marilyn, a music major who was pursing her teaching credential at Cal.
The couple were married in 1954. Amid the trials and triumphs of 63 years of marriage, they brought five blue-eyed babies into the world, among them their firstborn daughter, Linda, followed by two sets of twins. The quintessential family man, Linn was adored by three daddy’s girls and twin sons he called his best friends. He worked hard during the week, and then traded his suitcoat for his signature gray sweater with suede elbow patches, a symbol and reminder that he had shifted his focus to family. His weekends were devoted to friends, family and fitness, mostly through tennis and golf.
Linn and Marilyn raised their children to put family first, by holding hands for grace and by calling the kids “team.” He taught them the security, the responsibility and the honor inherent in the name Watson. A frugal man, he inspired in them the value of the dollar and the satisfaction inherent in earning it. And, he never let them leave the house without a lingering hug and the charge to “Remember who you are and what you represent,” a tradition that has continued throughout their lives. For more than 20 summers, he took the family to Lake Tahoe, creating memories meant to keep them close. And so, they are.
After college, Linn went to work for Wells Fargo Bank, beginning as a teller, and continuing into a 37year career, during which he managed the trust dept. before moving into international banking as an executive vice president. In 1989, at 60, Linn retired from Wells Fargo, took his division to Bankers Trust and developed the business there, until his retirement at 70. At that time, he launched Franklin Watson Consulting, and joined the board of directors at Hayward Lumber on the Monterey Peninsula, working with longtime friend, the late Homer Hayward, and eventually serving as chairman of the board. He also served as president of The Big C Society, Cal Grid Club, and the California Society of Pioneers, and he was a long-standing member of the Bohemian Club.
Linn Watson was an intensely present man of deep faith and devotion. He will be remembered for his wit and his wisdom, his kindness and patience, and as a man who made learning fun, living memorable, and love matter most. He will always be the love of our lives, the captain of our team. He is survived by his beloved children; Linda, Lauren (John), Lisa (Philip), Douglas (Jenny), and David (Julie), as well as 12 grandchildren, his sister, Janet Adams, six nieces and nephews, and many more family members and friends. Those wishing to make a contribution in his memory may consider Hospice of the East Bay, The Big C Society, or Alzheimer’s Association. Plans for a celebration of life are pending.