Donald Thomas Watts, a child of our heavenly Father and earthly child of the late Horace Alvah Watts and Mary Rooney Watts was called to eternal rest on March 6, 2020 at his home under hospice care, with his loving family at his side. Donald had lost his fight with prostate cancer after a two-year battle. Donald was born in Newark, New Jersey the 8th child of 11 in the family. In January 1946, Donald moved to Tompkinsville PA, a hamlet of Jermyn, PA, where he attended the Greenfield School, was an active member in The Tompkinsville United Methodist Church, a happy participant in the 4H Club of Lackawanna County Pennsylvania, and a singer in the family group called the Greenfielders, which was made up of his brothers and sisters. The family sang at 4H outings, school and church events and sang at The Holt Lumber Store in Carbondale, PA, (which still exists as a True Value Hardware store) to support the farmers of the Greenfield community. About a year or so before leaving the farm, he had an interest in learning to play the Minstrel Bones, and became quite proficient at it. A beloved relative from Olyphant, Uncle Dave Jenkins was the Grand Master of the local lodge in Olyphant of Free and Accepted Masons got him a gig playing the Bones at a pancake breakfast after graduation. Donald moved to Brooklyn, NY, where he signed up to be on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour playing the minstrel bones. He became interested in the Banjo and met the famous Banjo Player, Eddie Peabody who encouraged him to pursue his interest. He set his sights on this love for music and went to music school to learn how to read music and joined the Musicians union for which he was a member for over 50 years. For most of his life, Don had two careers, one by day, the other by night. He had successfully watched his dad whose hobby was to refinish and restore antique furniture. He learned all the techniques and began doing that type of work to make a living while pursuing his musical career. Along the way, he secured a job with the New York City School system and performed at schools teaching the students at assemblies about music, often playing the Bones and the Banjo, and putting on a puppet show using characters to bring the message home. One day, he heard that the man who played The Dancing Bear on the Captain Kangaroo show was ill. He went and auditioned for the part and got it and performed for three seasons, it was a part he was most proud of. After that, Don was signed to play Banjo and Bones on the riverboats all over the south playing Dixieland, Ragtime and Sing along type music of the day. In the early 1970s, he had an opportunity to play in Indiana and heard of a full-time gig at a family restaurant playing Banjo and Bones, five nights a week, while running a furniture restoration business by day. This Gig lasted for thirty-five years at Shakeys and it was there he met, and married his wife of 44 years, Victoria Henry and had two children, David and Annie and one grandchild, Elle, born this past year. His love for God, family, music, baseball and good food were uppermost in his mind each day. He loved a nip of sambuca and enjoyed his pipe and cigars. Dons career allowed him to meet such folks as, admirals; actresses like Doris Day; music writers like Irving Berlin; basketball coaches like Bobby Knight, etc. Don was the same to all he met: respectful, kind, loving and gentle; full of joy and fun and always a joke to be told more times than one would imagine; but that was what endeared him to us all. In his restoration business he refinished and restored the Sled in the motion picture, White Christmas. The highlight of his musical career was playing at Notre Dame in Indiana. Donald Thomas Watts known as Mr. Don, The Dancing Bear, Mr. Bones, Mr. Banjo, son, dad, grandpa and brother left behind a lasting treasure of memories full of joy, laughter, happy songs, countless jokes and stories. Heaven has no idea of the bundle of joy coming its way! Donald is survived by his wife of 44 years, a war hero son, David, who served as an officer in both the U.S. Army as a Sergeant and the U.S. Navy as a Petty Officer; as well as serving several tours of duty and being injured in the Iraq war. A daughter, Annie, a professional dancer and dance instructor as well as business development specialist who resides in Texas with her partner, Tony Minnix and daughter, Elle. Also, of Greenwood, IN are his in-laws, Clete and Beverly Mishler. Also surviving are his siblings: Eugene Watts of Belfast NY, Harriett Watts of Wayne, NJ, Gregory Watts of Millville, NJ, Mary Ellen Calogero of Lynbrook, Long Island, NY, and Harvey S. Watts of Acra, NY. Preceding him in death: his father, Horace Alvah Watts in 1977; his mother, Mary Rooney Watts in 1977; his siblings, Stephen Perry Watts in 1933, Stephen Alvah Watts in 1953, Joan Barbara Watts in 1989, Richard Perry Watts in 2000, and Horace Joseph Watts in 2008. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The Greenfield Township Historical Society, 423 Hickory Ridge Road, Greenfield Township, PA 18407 and/or Lackawanna County 4H Club, 200 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503 A memorial service was held Saturday, June 13, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. at the Shifler-Parise Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 18 Airport Road, Clifford, PA. Interment, Tompkinsville United Methodist Church Cemetery, Edwards Road, Jermyn, PA. Memorial Service 1:00 pm Saturday, June 13, 2020 Shifler-Parise Funeral Home & Cremation Services 18 Airport Road Clifford, Pennsylvania, United States 18413 Interment 3:00 pm Saturday, June 13, 2020 Tompkinsville Cemetery S.R. 347 Tompkinsville, Pennsylvania, United States 18433