Stacy Lynn Levi Watson, 46, Lakeland, Tennessee, and wife of Shaun Watson, departed this life the morning of Monday, Jan. 18, at Methodist Hospice Residence in Memphis.
The daughter of Donald and Christine Wonneman Levi, Stacy was born Jan. 8, 1975, in Bryan, Texas.
A redheaded natural athlete and scholar, Stacy traveled to Australia with her elementary school jump rope team, earned a presidential fitness award and excelled at cheerleading and dance at Derby Middle School and Derby High School in Derby, Kansas. She achieved All-American pompom and competed nationally with the academic high school Future Problem Solving team.
She graduated from Derby High School as a junior in 1992 and attended Kansas State University where she was a member of Delta, Delta, Delta sorority. She graduated with honors from Wichita State University with her Bachelor of Science in marketing and earned her Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in market finance, which prepared her for a successful career in market research.
She distinguished herself in banking, which brought her to the Memphis area from Kansas, and finished her professional work at Cigna as head of a 40-person data resource team evaluating new pharmaceuticals.
She met the love of her life, Shaun Watson, in middle school and married him on June 17, 1993.
Survivors include her husband Shaun of Lakeland, Tennessee; her son and daughter, Drake Levi Watson and Lauren Elizabeth Watson, both of Memphis, Tennessee; her parents, Donald and Christine Levi; sister Kelly Levi Sartorius and nephew Jack Sartorius, all of Lawrence, Kansas; her mother-in-law with whom she had a special relationship, Rhonda Watson, of Rose Hill, Kansas; sister-in-law Kelly Dawn Miller and her husband Todd; niece Meagan and nephew Tyler of Augusta, Kansas.
She also leaves behind the family dogs, Millie, Ginger, Bailey, Bean and Kuro.
She is preceded by her grandparents William Harvey and Lorene Hendricks Levi, and Forrest and Virginia Kellerhals Wonneman; and her father-in-law Roger Watson.
The family wishes to thank the excellent oncologists, physicians and nurses who became confidants and extended her life by several years.
Stacy was a fighter. Despite a very difficult diagnoses, she grabbed onto life for much longer than anyone thought possible so she could spend precious time with her husband, children and family. She never gave up – always planning for the next day. This allowed her to see her son graduate from college, and her daughter graduate from high school. Her pride in her son’s writing talent and her daughter’s art was immeasurable. She is a testament to tenacity, resilience and a positive attitude which will not be forgotten.
The family requests memorials be directed to the Methodist Hospice Residence, 6416 Quince Rd., Memphis, TN 38119.
