Mildred R. Watts

Mildred Ruth (Ireland) Watts was born on December 14, 1926 in Mitchell County, KS. She was the child of Webster C Ireland and Mabel Amelia Gladow Ireland in Mitchell County, Kansas. Mildred’s siblings were Max, Anna, Carl and Richard. 

Mildred was raised on the family farm west of Beloit, Kansas until 1940 when her family moved into Beloit, Kansas until 1940 when her family moved into Beloit. Her earliest memory was holding her baby brother Carl. Growing up on the farm they had pet lambs, Betty and Bitty, and a pony named Judy. She got a spanking one day from her dad because she had left Carl sitting on the pony. She also remembered a dress her mother made with apples that she was very proud of. She, her sister Anna, and friend Betty would sneak out to the hay loft to smoke (more pushing boundaries than developing a habit as she was not a smoker). There were many gatherings at her Uncle Walter’s to go hunting coyotes, during which they rode on the fenders and running boards.

Mildred was baptized in the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Beloit as a child and later joined the Downs Methodist Church. Being involved with the church was very important to Mildred. She joined the Bell Choir and enjoyed playing in it. She helped cook many a funeral luncheon and the Lord's Acre Supper. 

Mildred attended Beloit High School and graduated in 1944. One night she went to a dance at the Municipal building in Beloit where she saw a good looking guy from Downs named Kenneth Watts. After dating for a while, she broke up with him when she found out he was a year younger than her, as she didn’t want to go with a younger guy. Love prevailed and they were married on March 21, 1946 in the Lutheran Church in Beloit. To this union 5 children were born, Sherry Annette, Kathy Lynn, Michelle Kay, Kendra JoAnn, and Ronald Ray. 

After the children were in school, Mildred started working at the McCannon Nursing Home in Downs as a cook, then at the Downs School lunch program as a cook in 1957. There she became the head cook. Mildred was with the school for 36 years. She will be remembered for “Millie’s Cinnamon Rolls”. The lunches served were the best and everyone has their favorite meal they remember. She was very active in the school, being in the PTA plays, helping with fundraisers, and attending ballgames and programs. 

Mildred and Kenneth loved square dancing and traveled all over the area going to dances. One of the proudest times is when granddaughter Dona learned to square dance and attended the Kansas Square Dancing Convention in Salina dancing with them. 

Mildred loved playing cards, bridge being her favorite. She and Kenneth spent many evenings with friends playing cards, bridge, pitch, hand and foot, pinnacle, and many others. Mildred belonged to bridge clubs. After entering Downs Care and Rehabilitation, which became her second home and family, the card playing did not stop, Mondays and Tuesday became card party days. Friends would come to play. These days were special to her. 

Family was also very important to Mildred. Her five children gave her 15 grandchildren who then gave her 24 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. Mildred loved having a house full of grandchildren. Holidays and Summer would find the house overflowing with everyone visiting. She always cooked her chicken and noodles as that was (almost) everyone’s favorite meal of hers. At Christmas she would make and send out cookies and candy which was well loved and appreciated. Grandma Millie looked forward to babysitting and attending all the programs that the kids were in. She always had time to be a part of the children’s lives. 

Mildred passed away on April 9, 2025 surrounded by loved ones. She is preceded in death by parents Webster and Mabel Ireland, her siblings, Max Ireland, Anna Jennison, Carl Irleand, and Richard Ireland, her husband of 76 years Kenneth, daughters Kathy Grelle, Kendra McAllaster, and son Ron Watts, and grandson Kenneth Woodall.

She is survived by daughters, Sherry (Jerry) Knouf of Downs, KS; Michelle Hartman, Wichita, KS; Grandchildren Dona (John) Brock, Cumming, GA,; JoAnna Marihugh, Lincoln, NE; Paula (Joe) Kennedy, Wichita, KS; Ryan Lamb, Oklahoma City, OK; Dondi Rust, Park City, UT; Anna (Mario) Gonzales, Vista, CA; Micah McAllaster, San Diego, CA; Katie McAllaster, Beloit, KS; Dana (Johnathan) Watts, Arlington, VA; Kari Watts, Manhattan, KS; Terri (Stephen) Bilgy, TX; Bryan (Bozinka) Grelle, TX; Leslie Grelle, Uvalde, TX; sister-in-law Marge (Carl) Ireland, Downs, KS. 24 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great-grandchildren, many nephews and nieces.

Visitation will be at Schoen Funeral Home And Monuments on Monday, April 14 from 5-7 PM. Funeral services are at 10 AM, Tuesday, April 15 at Downs United Methodist Church. Memorials may be made to Downs Care And Rehabilitation in care of Schoen Funeral Home And Monuments 1001 Morgan Ave. Downs, KS 67437.