Michael D. Watson, 73, of Indianapolis, IN passed away peacefully on Friday, July 28, 2017. He is survived by his wife Carla Watson.

Visitation will be held on Friday, August 4, 2017 at 10:00 AM at St. Barnabas Catholic Church. A Funeral Mass will be at 11:00 AM followed by a United States Marine Corps Military Honors service on the church grounds.

Mike was born in Denver, Colorado on September 28, 1943. His childhood was spent in Norwalk, CA and later Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School in Dayton, OH. After graduation Mike entered the US Marine Corps in 1962. As a Marine he served on the USS Kitty Hawk CVA/CV-63, 1963 and 1964 during the Vietnam War. Later Mike served on Marine detail at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India. He was honorably discharged in 1968.

After his service in the USMC, Mike continued his education at Ohio State University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the The Colleges of Arts and Sciences, as well as a Major degree in Political Science in June 1974.

After college graduation, Mike was employed by Marcoin Inc. and moved to Virginia Beach, VA. In 1978 he was promoted and moved to Nashville, TN. In 1989 Mike made the decision to move to Indianapolis, IN to start his own business. In 1990 he established Business Management Associates, which offered professional accounting, tax preparation, management counseling, and personal, corporate and partnership returns, as well as investment funds services. After so many years of good client and professional relationships he retired in 2015.

Over the years Mike belonged to many professional organizations and was grateful to have met so many good people and always enjoyed exchanging ideas and information with them.

Mike had a life-long deep dedication to the Catholic faith and he was spiritually strong and compassionate. He was a member of St. Marks Catholic Church until he moved to St. Barnabas Catholic Church in 1995, which was located in the neighborhood where he lived. He had always wanted to be able to walk to church on Sunday so this made him happy!

Mike loved and enjoyed spending time with his wife, Carla of 43 plus years, his family and pets. It was important to him to keep in close touch with his sisters and brother as well as other family members who lived in other states. Mike enjoyed traveling, reading and listening to music, playing scrabble and, of course, watching the Ohio State Buckeyes on TV. Mike was a kind, caring and giving person with a “dry,” sometimes acerbic, sense of humor, but always ready with a quick grin to allay reactions that sometimes ensued as a result. He loved a good joke and humorous stories. His humility, integrity and hard work will continue to inspire others who were in his life. Mike will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to have known him.

Mike is preceded in death by his parents Eugene Joseph Watson and R. Virginia Watson-Graham. mother-in-law Daisy Belle Haegele, and father-in-law Carl Haegele, four brothers-in-laws: Ralph Haegele, Charles Haegele, Fremmiot Rodriguez, and Bernard Weller; two sisters-in-laws: Mary Watson and Debbie Haegele, as well as two nephews, two nieces, two great nieces and one great nephew.

Mike is survived by his loving wife Carla Haegele Watson.

Two sisters: Gretchen (Bernard) Madrid, Cincinnati, OH, Patricia (Thomas) Herr, Heath, OH; one brother: Rodger Watson, Heath, OH; sisters-in-laws: Dorothy Weller, Houston, TX, Helen (Ray) Brown, Worthington, OH, Bonnie Haegele, Del Mar, CA, Angie Haegele, FL; brothers-in-laws: Thomas Herr, Bernard Madrid, and Ray Brown all of whom live in Ohio.

Nephews: Mark Brown, Kiel, WI, Mike Brown, Grove City, OH, KC Haegele, Athens, OH, Fremmiot Rodriguez II, Houston, TX, Edward Watson, Patrick Madrid, both of Heath, OH, Christopher Madrid, NJ, Dominic Madrid, and Andrew Madrid.

Nieces: Tanya Herr Dunn, Germany, Lisa Madrid Duffy, GA, Hope Madrid/Klaus, Mary Madrid Miraglia, Aurea Rodriguez-Haegele, Coto Laurel, PR, Ana Teresa Rodriguez, Houston, TX, Catherine Rodriguez-Salaiz, Houston, TX, Darlene Haegele, Del Mar, CA, Tina Haegele, Westerville, OH, Christine Brown, Kiel, WI; also fourteen great nephews and twenty-three great nieces.

Mike will be missed, but lovingly remembered by his family. Our prayer is for Mike to rest in heavenly peace.

In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Barnabas Catholic Church, 8300 Rahke Road, Indianapolis, Indiana 46217.

Memorial Mass Notice:

Ohio family memorial mass will be held Saturday, August 19, 2017 at St. Leonard Catholic Church, 57 Dorseymill Road, Heath, Ohio 43056. An hour prior to service there will be visitation time which will begin at 9:30 a.m., military taps and salute at 10:10 a.m. and memorial mass will begin at 10:30 a.m.