On Sunday, August 24, 2025, at 9:36 a.m., Flora Janet Thayn Watson, 88, passed from this life to the next at her home in San Jose, California. Although we are saddened by her loss, there is joy in knowing that she is no longer in pain and that she is now reunited with her husband, David C. Watson, as well as her brothers, sister, and parents.

On December 9, 1936, Janet was born to Horace Thayn and Mary Nettie Medrano Thayn. Her parents were living with her grandparents, William Alvin Thayn and Sarah Sorenia Tidwell Thayn at the Thayn Farmhouse near Wellington, Utah, at the time she was born. She was the second child (Horace Eugene was firstborn) and first girl born to her parents. The rest of her family in order of birth are Enid Beth, Richard Ray, and Judy Gaylene.

Her mother gave her responsibility from an early age, asking her to awaken her siblings and make sure they got to school on time; and she did it. She always made sure that any errands her mother sent her on were completed. This sense of responsibility continued throughout her life. She could always be relied on to follow through and complete a task.

In 1940, the family was saddened by the tragic loss of her 9-month-old brother, Richard Ray, due to pneumonia. One week he was a healthy, happy baby, then he got sick, and the next week he was gone.

In 1942, they moved to Wellington. Janet attended the old Wellington School starting in 1943, and continuing through the 9th grade. She played on the girls’ softball team. Of course, there were only 9 girls in the class, so everyone had to be on the team! Still, she did enjoy the experience.

Her childhood memories were generally happy. There were many lazy summer days listening to baseball games on the radio and having fly-swatting contests with her brother, Horace Gene. Most of her friends during her childhood (and youth) were her cousins. Those she was closest to were Greta Lee Olson, Helen, Carol, Reva, Lena, and Connie Thayn.

Janet attended Price Junior High School and Carbon High School, graduating in 1955. She then attended LDS Business College in 1956 and BYU in 1957 and 1958.

After graduating from LDS Business College, she worked as a secretary for attorney, Luke Pappas, and then as a typist at the LDS Church Genealogical Society.

In the Air Force, Janet’s brother, Gene, became good friends with a young man from Texas, David Colquitt Watson. Upon seeing a photo of Gene’s beautiful sister, Janet, David asked about her. Gene’s first reaction: “Forget about it! She wouldn’t be interested in you.” But, David managed to get in touch with her anyway. They began to correspond and fell in love via letters. David went to Salt Lake City to meet her.  While he was there, they decided to get married. Soon after they tied the knot in Midland, Texas on November 10, 1959.

Janet worked for the Air Force until David was discharged in June 1960. She then was hired by the Internal Revenue Service in Austin, where David was studying at the University of Texas at Austin. They hated the heat and humidity there, so they moved to Salt Lake City, where she was hired again by the IRS. She continued to work while David attended the University of Utah, getting a BS in Electrical Engineering in August 1964. By this time, Janet was pregnant with their first child, and she quit work before giving birth to Flora Janeen in December 1964. She became a stay-at-home mom as David finished graduate school, earning a PhD in January 1968. By this time their second child, Melanie Beth, had been born in June 1967.

With his PhD in hand, David found a job in the San Francisco Bay Area and the family moved to San Jose, California. The family continued to grow, with Lorrie Gaylene born in January 1970, Cheralyn Gail born in December 1971, Nathan David born in October 1973, Amy Melissa born in December 1975, and Brian Colvin born in April 1978.

Janet continued with the often-underappreciated job of being a stay-at-home mom, juggling the school schedules and other activities of seven children. For many years she had children in high school, middle school, and elementary school at the same time! She spent hours driving her kids to school, to lessons, to church, to musical rehearsals and play rehearsals, and to many other commitments. This continued into the next generation as she chauffeured her granddaughter, Celeste to school, to lessons, to church, etc.

She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although a descendent of the original pioneers, her family had become inactive. She was the first to return to active membership, and many in her family followed her in returning to church. She served in callings such as Nursery Leader, Primary Teacher, and Visiting Teaching Coordinator.

Janet had many interests. She loved music, listening to many different genres during her life. Her children were introduced to artists of the caliber of Frank Sinatra, Marty Robbins, Johnny Matthis, Engelbert Humperdinck, and many others. Classic TV programs such as Combat!, The Untouchables, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Ozzie and Harriet, and many others were favorites. Classic movies-think TCM-were also a staple.

Encouraging musical talent in her children was another of her passions. Almost every one of her children played the violin, with varying levels of proficiency, and for varying amounts of time. Most also played the piano, again with varying levels of proficiency. There were some who played other instruments including the flute and the drums. And Janet’s singing talent was inherited by her children and grandchildren.

She enjoyed family history. She wrote what she called, “histories,” for each child, recording many things about their childhoods while they were happening. These are invaluable resources for each child and for future family history researchers. She also prepared binders for each child with a photo history of herself and the family, with an emphasis on the child the book was meant for.  Once the grandchildren came, she did something similar for them.

Janet is survived by her sister, Beth Adams; her children, Janeen Watson (San Jose, CA), Melanie Watson (Edgewood, MD), Lorrie Mazucci (San Jose, CA), Cheralyn Watson (Stephanie) (Milpitas, CA), Nathan Watson (San Jose, CA), Amy Harris (Will) (Turlock, CA),  and Brian Watson (Julie) (San Jose, CA); as well as her grandchildren, Natalie Watson, Aidan Scharine, Celeste and Eva Mazucci, William, Allison and Aubrey Harris, and Sebastian Watson. She was preceded in death by her father, Horace Thayn (1901-1974); her mother, Mary Nettie Medrano Thayn Chidester (1916-2000); her step-father, Rodney J. Chidester (1937-2003); her brothers, Horace Eugene (1936-2021) and Richard Ray (Feb-Nov 1940); and her sister, Judy Gaylene (1944-1969).

A memorial service for Janet was held on Saturday, August 30, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel located at 3110 Cropley Avenue in San Jose, California.

She will be interred in Wellington, Utah on Friday, September 5, 2025. There will be a visitation from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Mitchell Funeral Home (233 East Main Street) in Price, Utah and the burial will follow at 1:00 p.m. at the Wellington City Cemetery (2 Cemetery Road) in Wellington, Utah.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Darling & Fischer Garden Chapel in San Jose, California and to Mitchell Funeral Home of Price and Huntington where friends are always welcome daily and may share memories of Janet online at www.mitchellfuneralhome.net