Together for a lifetime and in death

George and KarenJean Watry were joined at the proverbial hip.

The couple met while first-graders at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Lake Church, started dating while students at Port Washington High School and married a year after graduating.

Mr. Watry was an auto mechanic and his wife worked at a bank initially, but after moving to Delavan in 1982 the couple worked together at Crest Chevrolet, she in the office and he in the shop, for 28 years.

Just before Thanksgiving, the couple was diagnosed with Covid-19. Mrs. Watry went to the hospital the day before Thanksgiving, and her husband was admitted the following day.

On Thursday, Dec. 3, the couple died — first Mrs. Watry and her husband a little while later, their daughter Judith Oxley said.

It was fitting, she said.

“They really did everything together in their life,” their daughter said.

The Watrys were a perfect fit, their daughter said. They were born and raised in Belgium, he on the family farm on Jay Road in the township and she on Main Street in the village.

Because their names were close together alphabetically — her maiden name was Schmitz — they were seated near each other in school, their daughter said.

“Grandma would put mom’s hair in braids for school. Dad would sit behind her and tie them in knots instead of paying attention,” she said.

A friend set them up on a date when they were students at Port Washington High School, and something clicked. They graduated in 1962 and a year later, on Oct. 5, 1963, were married at St. Mary’s Church in Lake Church.

They settled in Belgium, where they raised their three children.

Mr. Watry was an auto mechanic who worked in the area at Bley Bros. in Port Washington, at his own service station at the corner of highways LL and D for a few years and later at Flaherty auto sales, first as a service technician and later as sales manager.

Mrs. Watry was a bank teller until the couple moved to Delavan in 1981. 

Mr. Watry retired in 2009 and his wife in 2012. They loved to travel — “We always had an RV or a camper,” their daughter recalled, adding every weekend from April through October they would travel.

After retirement, the couple spent three years living in their motor home and traveling before settling in Mesa, Ariz.

Mr. Watry filled his days tinkering with cars while his wife enjoyed crocheting.

“She always had a project, or a couple projects going,” her daughter said. “I’m finishing a couple of them now.”

As the Covid-19 pandemic took hold, the couple stayed at their home, leaving primarily to go to the grocery store and appointments, always wearing masks.

Just before Thanksgiving, Mrs. Watry came down with what she described as “a good stiff cold,” her daughter said. 

“It’ll go away,” she reassured her family.

But when her husband fell ill as well, the family insisted one of them be tested for Covid-19. Mr. Watry tested positive.

A day before Thanksgiving, their daughter said, she found her mother didn’t look well so she took her to Banner Baywood  Hospital in Mesa. A day later, her father was admitted to the hospital as well.

“They were both very quickly put on ventilators,” their daughter said.

Because they were married, the intensive care unit placed them in the same room, she said, something that comforted them.

When the hospital staff took Mrs. Watry off the ventilator for a short time, she had one request, her daughter said.

“She asked them to move the beds together so she could hold his hand,” their daughter said.

Mrs. Watry had to be placed back on the ventilator, and on Thursday, Dec. 3 she died. Within 90 minutes, her husband also died. They were both 76.

A complete obituary for George and KarenJean Watry can be found under the obituary tab.