Mavis Watts

Mavis Claire (Swenson) Watts, age 81, of Pillager, MN, was born March 12, 1930 in Devils Lake, ND, to Harvey and Helga (Peggy) Swenson. Mavis attended school in Backus, MN graduating in 1947. After high school she attended St. Paul Bible Institute (now Crown College) in St. Paul, MN, where she graduated with a Bible certificate in 1951.

Mavis was married to Willie Watts on April 16, 1955, in Minneapolis. This marriage was blessed with four children-Tim, Richard, Sue and Pamela.

Mavis and Willie began their ministry at the Riverview Tabernacle in Pine River in 1962, pastoring there for nearly 20 years. Using puppets in ministry at the church gave them the idea to hit the road with their puppets when their youngest child left home. In 1983 they began their ministry of "The Light Company" where they were two Watts out spreading the light of Jesus Christ to children young and old. They ministered in churches, camps and other venues throughout the United States and Mexico. Mavis was the voice of "Zeke", their most famous and loved puppet. Anyone who had ever been blessed by the ministry of the Light Company would remember Zeke and are now saddened that his voice has been silenced here on earth. Mavis and Willie also helped out during the Christmas season at the Salvation Army while traveling with the Light Company and God always somehow managed to call them south each winter with the puppets, either to Florida or Texas. They loved the many people they met during their years of ministry and hope heaven is filled with many who started their walk with God through the word preached at the church or one of their kid's crusades with the puppets.

After 20 plus years on the road they encountered various health issues and had to come off the road. They lived in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for a number of years and helped in ministry at the Oskaloosa Church of the Nazarene and held "Garage Club" at their home for kids after school with the puppets. It's hard to talk about Mavis without including Willie in the conversation because they were a team that always went everywhere and did everything together. God blessed them with 56 years of marriage and ministry together.

In October of 2010 came another move back to the Brainerd Lakes area where Mavis and Willie resided at Riverside Assisted Living in Pillager where Mavis passed away on August 29, 2011.

Mavis is survived by her husband, Willie, of Pillager; children: Tim (Annie) Watts of Burnsville, MN, Richard (Pam) Watts of University Park, IA, Sue (Greg) Van Hal of Pillager, Pamela (Mike) Withage of Staples, MN; grandchildren: Ali (Jon) Feldman of Nerstrand, MN, Sam (Brittney) Watts of Prior Lake, MN, Angie (Brian) Lomas of Kansas City, MO, Andy (Lindsay) Watts of University Park, IA, Kami and Cory Van Hal of Pillager; great grandchildren: Natalee Feldman, Olaf Watts, Ellie Watts; sister, Georgia (Darrell) Johnson of Orange City, IA; brother, Jack (Sherrye) Swenson of Backus, MN; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and three great grandchildren, Emmalee, Owen and Cooper Feldman.

Services will be 10 AM on Friday, September 2, at Riverview Church, Pine River, with Pastor Dan Johnson officiating. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery, Backus. Visitation will be Thursday from 5 to 7 PM at Kline Funeral Home, Pine River, and one hour prior to the service at the church.