Gwenda Watson Mrs. Gwenda Watson, a Newport...

Gwenda Watson

Mrs. Gwenda Watson, a Newport Beach resident named Citizen of the

Millennium and Beautiful Activist, died Saturday after a long

illness. She was 83.

Mrs. Watson served on the boards of several clubs and

organizations in Orange County. She was responsible for getting

together the Lido Island Players and took lead roles in community

theater. She was elected to the board of the Lido Isle Community

Assn. and was also editor of the Lido Islander.

Mrs. Watson’s work in the areas of mental health and family

services won her the California Governor’s Award and the Panhellenic

Women’s Athena Award.

She has also served as president of the Orange District Federation

of Junior Women’s Clubs and of the California Federation of Junior

Women’s Clubs. She has served on the boards of the Child Guidance

Center of Orange County, the Mardan Center for Educational Therapy

and Youth Employment Services.

Mrs. Watson is survived by husband of 65 years Norman Watson and

two daughters, Sandra O’Connell and Katherine Watson.

Private services were held Wednesday.