Marcia Watts

It is with profound sadness that her family announces the passing of Marcia Luise (Hayward) Watts, who died peacefully on June 27, 2025 at the age of 79 at home in Portage, Michigan after living with breast cancer for many years. Marcia was an amazing mother, grandmother, and friend, and she leaves behind a legacy of love and warmth.

Marcia was born on August 30, 1945, at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan to Lawrence Vinson Hayward and Iva Grace (VandeGiessen) Hayward. She spent her childhood in Scotts and Vicksburg, graduating from Vicksburg High School in 1963. She had many fond memories of family gatherings and swimming and fishing at “The Point” on Indian Lake.

Marcia spent a year at Albion College and then completed a secretarial program at the Parsons Business School in Kalamazoo. Following graduation, she worked as a secretary at Western Michigan University.

Marcia married Jeff Watts in Kalamazoo, Michigan on December 20, 1966, and then moved to Ft. Polk in Louisiana. Marcia detested living in Louisiana and often spoke of the giant bugs!

In 1969, they moved to Angola, Indiana where Marcia met her life-long friend Patty Schwartz. Marcia and Patty enjoyed playing cards and riding bikes into town and both worked at the Weatherhead Company as secretaries.

The couple moved to Decatur, Indiana; Berne, Indiana and then Wabash, where Marcia gave birth to their son, Bradley Robert Watts in February 1976. When Brad was a young toddler, the family relocated to Lancaster, Ohio.

After the couple divorced in 1981, Marcia and Brad moved back to Vicksburg, where Marcia worked at the Ralph Hayward Insurance Agency.

Marcia had a long career as an administrative assistant in education and finance, working for the Kalamazoo Public Schools, Kalamazoo Valley Intermediate School District, Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency and Oppenheimer & Co. She retired from full-time work at Oppenheimer in 2011 but still helped with special projects from time to time.

Marcia was overjoyed when her grandson Benjamin Watts was born in 2009 and was an incredible Grammy. She and Ben went on many adventures together and ate a lot of ice cream along the way.

Marcia was a Big Sister for the Kalamazoo Big Brothers, Big Sisters program and volunteered at Bronson Methodist Hospital in the concierge program. She was a member of the Breakfast Optimist Club of Kalamazoo and arranged many trips for the Western Michigan University Osher Life-Long Learning Institute. She also served on her condo board at The Moors.

Marcia was a life-long learner and traveler. She enjoyed taking classes at WMU, the Portage District Library and the Portage Senior Center. She loved both jigsaw and crossword puzzles, was an avid reader and watched Jeopardy every night. She enjoyed taking walks around her neighborhood and yoga classes. She attended many musical and theatre productions with friends. Marcia maintained a condo at South Haven’s North Beach for many years, and the beach was her special place.

Marcia had a special gift for making friends everywhere she went and was very grateful for the community of loving people that touched her life.

She is survived by her loving son, Brad Watts and his wife Jody Watts; her beloved grandson Benjamin Lawrence Watts; her brother Leon Hayward; niece Kim Hayward and nephew Mark Hayward; as well as so very many cherished cousins and friends.

Marcia was preceded in death by her mother Iva Grace Hayward, her father Lawrence Hayward and her sister-in-law Tina Hayward.

According to her wishes, cremation has taken place. A visitation and memorial service will be held at Avink, McCowen & Secord Funeral Home; 409 S. Main Street Vicksburg, MI 49097 on July 8, 2025, beginning at 10am. A luncheon will follow the service at The Pride of Scotts, 8450 36th Street South, Scotts, Michigan.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be directed to Bronson Health Foundation’s Cancer Treatment Endowment, 301 John St. Box 73, Kalamazoo, MI 49007 or at www.bronsonfoundation.com/donate in Marcia Watts’ memory.

While visiting Marcia’s webpage at www.amsfuneralhomes.com please sign the guestbook and/or share a memory with the family.