Robert Watson (Bob) was born in Philadelphia, the third of six siblings, and spent his younger years in Goldsboro, North Carolina and Richmond, Virginia. The family eventually found their way back to Philadelphia where Bob graduated from high school.

Bob’s father, Raiford, was addicted to alcohol and subjected the family to traumatic instability. At one point, for about two years, the eight Watsons inhabited two scrapped city buses, without plumbing or electricity, in the woods. Bob’s mother, Verdie, was an anchor and held the family together, hauling lumber to keep her tribe alive. During one dire stretch of starvation, she connected with the local Salvation Army. The officers and soldiers shared food and hospitality. Soon, the Watson family was immersed in the whole life and mission of the corps. An elderly saint there captivated Bob’s 10-year-old heart one day with a teaching on John 1:12. The Holy Spirit convicted him. He received the embrace and truth of Jesus and dared to believe he was a child of God. This was the turning point of his life!

The kind investments of local Salvationist fellowships wherever the family landed helped lift them out of poverty, changed the course of generations to come, and established them in the grand purposes and service of Christ.

At 20, while Bob was working at a company known globally for its innovations with steel, he was informed by the President that he would be given the best schooling at no cost to become one of their world-class engineers. While tempted, Bob expressed his thanks for the offer and confidently explained God had called him to be a Salvation Army officer. The gentleman was flummoxed, but 50 years later, after more than 44 years of officer ministry, Commissioner Watson found himself consulting on the development of the Philadelphia Kroc Center which now stands on the long-abandoned site of that firm.

That fall of 1954, Bob entered the “Soul Winners” session at the Training College in the Bronx from the Philadelphia Pioneer Corps. He was also courting Alice Irwin, whom he had met at a youth rally. Lt. Robert Watson was commissioned to the Queens (Jamaica Citadel), NY Corps in 1955. Alice became a cadet that fall, and they were married on June 22, 1957.

The Watsons had corps appointments in Queens (Ridgewood Citadel), NY, Brooklyn (Citadel), NY and Akron (Citadel), Ohio. They enjoyed fruitful years as youth leaders in Southern New England. Major Bob then had a special assignment to restructure Eastern Territorial Headquarters and subsequently flourished in a new territorial role focused on evangelism. After serving together for 11 years as divisional leaders in Eastern New York, Empire State and Western Pennsylvania, Colonel Robert Watson was appointed in USA East as Secretary for Personnel in 1987 and Chief Secretary in 1989.

His final six years of active service expanded his impact across the USA and the world, first as National Chief Secretary (1993) and finally as National Commander (1995). He also presided over the High Council in 1999. On August 30, 1999, the Watsons retired, but the Commissioner engaged vigorously for another 21 years in a variety of ministry ventures, including teaching in many board, university and retreat settings on themes in his book, The Most Effective Organization in the U.S., translated into many languages around the globe. Through those prolific decades, the Commissioner prioritized his responsibilities as a local soldier. Always a bandsman, his tuba owned the trunk of the car.

Commissioner Watson was distinguished throughout his years for his immense administrative gifts, his boundless passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Salvation Army mission, his sharp intellect and thirst to learn and grow, his awakening vision of the people of God, his courage as a calm leader, and his practical preaching and teaching on holiness. He had remarkable capacity for dialogue and partnership with corporate and political titans in the deep belief that the movement he led was called to shape and transform culture. He immersed himself in intercultural relationships at home and abroad and worked to kindle the manifold wisdom and witness of Salvationists.

Many would remember the Commissioner for his extraordinary commitment to visiting and amazing recall of names, for his personal mentoring and wise shepherding, for his coming alongside the broken and his thrill at the transformation of younger generations or people in recovery. And it would be impossible for anyone to consider his impact apart from the winsomeness of his anointed romance and joyful teamwork with Alice for more than 68 years.

His family will miss his humor and eloquent storytelling, his encouragement and pastoral presence founded in daily fires of prayer and Scripture, his gentle and generous spirit, his Saturday morning breakfasts, and their restorative pleasure in one another’s company.

The Commissioner is survived by his wife, Commissioner Alice E. Watson, son Major Robert Watson and his wife Captain Anita, daughter Major Carol Ditmer and her husband Major Steve, and son Charles Watson and his wife Deborah, along with eight grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

• Visitation & Viewing: September 23, 2025 – 9:00-10:30 am – The Salvation Army College for Officer Training – Suffern, New York
• Celebration of Life: September 23, 2025 – 10:30 am – The Salvation Army College for Officer Training – Suffern, New York
• Committal: September 23, 2025 – 2:00 pm – Kensico Cemetery – Valhalla, New York

Those wishing to make a donation in memory of Commissioner Robert Watson can send a check to The Salvation Army, SAWSO, 615 Slaters Lane, Alexandria, VA 22314, payable to “The Salvation Army World Service Office” and designated for “Salvation Army ministry in China”, or donate electronically by choosing “China” in the dropdown menu @ give.sawso.org.

Please keep the Watson family in your prayers during this time of loss.

Celebration of Life Livestream