Travis Lee Watson, Sr.

Travis Lee Watson, Sr., 71, of Lynchburg, Virginia, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, August 23, 2026, surrounded by his wife and children. Born in Lynchburg on April 14, 1955, Travis lived his entire life in the community he loved.

He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Laura Hall Watson; his children, April Watson (Jason), Travis Watson (Heather), and Brett Watson (Megan); and his beloved grandchildren, Jackson Brown, Julian Brown, Charlotte Brown, Roman Watson, Tinslee Watson, Sage Watson, and Travis “Kash” Watson, who lovingly knew him as “Pop Pop”.

He is also survived by his siblings, Lewis “Allen” Watson III (Pamela), Brian Watson (Caryn), Gwen Watson (Margo), and Anne Watson (Mark); his sisters-in-law, Linda Poore (David), Rebecca Walker (Bobby), and Mary Delara; his aunt, Mary Lou P. Sommardahl (Charlie) of Richmond; and countless nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews who loved him dearly.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lewis Allen Watson, Jr. and Virginia “Tillie” Plunkett Watson; his maternal grandparents, Meredith Watson Plunkett and Elizabeth Lee Plunkett; and his paternal grandparents, Lewis Allen Watson and Eleanor Livingston Wingfield.

Travis was born and raised in Lynchburg, where his roots ran deep. He grew up on Golf Park Drive before his family moved to the Sandusky neighborhood, where some of his favorite childhood memories were made. He loved the water from an early age and spent his summers swimming on the Sandusky Pool swim team.

After graduating from E.C. Glass High School in 1974, Travis and a friend packed up a Volkswagen Beetle and headed west to California. They lived there briefly, exploring the West Coast and beginning a lifetime of adventures that would take him from beaches to mountains, motorcycles to scuba diving, golfing to camping, ballparks to tropical islands, and countless places in between.

Travis was quick-witted, sarcastic, funny, and loved a good story. He could make people laugh with very little effort, and people were naturally drawn to him. He had a mischievous streak and a gift for turning ordinary moments into stories that would be told for years.

In 1981, Travis survived a motorcycle accident that threw him 56 feet into the air and left him with a substantial scar on his leg. For years afterward, when children asked about the scar, he gave them the only answer that was truly worthy of the story: “Shark bite.”

Travis married the love of his life, Laura Hall Watson, and together they spent 42 years building a family and a life filled with love, laughter, hard work, traditions, and adventure.

When April was born, Travis became a father and embraced the role completely. When his second child, Travis Jr., arrived, Travis was so excited to bring his new son home that, in his haste, he accidentally ran over Laura’s foot. It was an unforgettable introduction to life as a father of two.

When Brett came along, the family was complete. Travis was an exceptional father—engaged, hands-on, and present. He coached teams, traveled to games, helped with school activities, worked on projects, and showed up for his children again and again. He taught his children how to do things correctly, but he also taught them how to think. He never wanted to hear, “I don't know.” His answer was always, “Let me find out.” He encouraged curiosity, resourcefulness, persistence, and the confidence to figure things out.

Travis owned Big Island Food Mart from 1986 through 1992. He knew his customers by name and often knew exactly what they would be coming in to buy. He later spent 35 years in contract sales with Taylor Brothers/Lester Group, where his ability to plan, build, problem-solve, and understand how things worked made him exceptionally good at what he did.

Travis could build almost anything. He loved working with his hands and especially loved helping his children with projects around their homes. Whether he was remodeling, building a deck, fixing something, or dreaming up his next project, he was always willing to teach. He didn't just do things for his children—he taught them how to do them themselves.

In 2020, Travis purchased the land that had belonged to his beloved “Pop” Plunkett. It was deeply meaningful to him to own that piece of family history. He spent countless hours working on the land and cabin, adding to it, improving it, and dreaming up what he would build next.

The beach was another special place for Travis, and the family's annual trips to Holden Beach became a cherished tradition. He watched Brett take his first steps there. On his final trip to Holden Beach, he had the extraordinary joy of watching his son marry Megan on those same shores.

Travis was also an avid sports fan. He loved UVA sports and faithfully followed the Washington Redskins and Orioles, but some of his greatest joy came from watching his own children and grandchildren play. He spent endless hours at ball fields and could often be found sitting beneath a tree in the outfield at Bradford Field at Miller Park, watching them play.

Nothing in Travis's life brought him more joy than being a grandfather. His grandchildren were woven into the fabric of his everyday life. They came to his home each afternoon after school, and Travis treasured that time with them. He loved the ordinary parts of being their grandfather just as much as the extraordinary ones. He wanted to hear about their days, play with them, watch their activities, and simply have them close.

He could hardly stand a day without seeing his grandchildren. On weekends, he would sometimes drive by their houses simply to see them, even if only from the road.

He played hide-and-seek, snuggled with them in his chair, traveled to their games and activities, and took an interest in every detail of their lives. One of his favorite adventures was attending the Little League World Series with his grandsons.

Even when his health declined and he could barely see or walk, Travis was determined to participate in every election. He made sure his vote was cast, often through early voting, because showing up mattered to him.

His family will remember him under the shade of a tree at a ball field, at the beach, working at his cabin, behind the wheel heading toward the next adventure, surrounded by his children and grandchildren, and telling a story that was probably just a little more entertaining than the truth.

They will remember his humor, his generosity, his curiosity, his ability to build almost anything, his love of adventure, and his unmistakable way of making people feel like they mattered.

The family extends its deepest gratitude to David Poore for his countless trips helping to transport Travis to UVA Medical Center over the last year; and to the UVA medical team, especially Dr. Fadul and Dr. Asthagiri, for the gift of hope and time.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who wish to honor Travis's memory to make a contribution to Lynchburg Little League or another local youth sports program.

In honor of Travis, his family asks that you share your memories of him with the family, vote early, and show up for your people. And because we wish everyone could have had more time with Travis, we ask one more thing: wear sunscreen.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at Tharp Funeral Home in Lynchburg.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family.