Dr. Arnold A. Watson, 87, passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. at his home in Rapid City.

Dr. Watson was born May 7, 1930, in New Orleans, LA, the oldest child of Anderson and Hilda (Wall) Watson. After completing high school at Gilbert Preparatory Academy in New Orleans, he attended Dillard University, where he received a Bachelor's Degree in 1951. From that time, he spent his entire working life in service to his fellow human beings and his country — from a short stint as a social worker in Los Angeles to 20 years in the US Air Force, from which he retired at the rank of Lt. Colonel, to a later career as a liaison between the US Navy and Lockheed, during the development of the Polaris Missile System. Education was also important to Dr. Watson, as he received his Master's Degree in Public Administration and later his PhD in Theology.

Dr. Watson is survived by his wife of 45 years, Mary Margaret (Goodsell) Watson; his daughters, Ingrid Ann Watson of Denmark and Jennifer Eve Hoffman of Arizona; his grandsons, Benjamin Watson and Joakim Erik Watson Lauemoller of Denmark; and his great-granddaughters, Emma Sofie Fredsted Watson and Cecilie Ann Fredsted Watson of Denmark. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, David Benjamin Watson of New Orleans.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 29, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home, 2700 Jackson Blvd., in Rapid City.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at Bible Fellowship Church, 1212 E. Fairmont Blvd., in Rapid City. Burial, with military honors rendered by Ellsworth Air Force Base Honor Guard, will be at 2 p.m. at Black Hills National Cemetery, near Sturgis.