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Zidana A. Watts, 86

Zidana Alouise (Lindley) Watts, 86, passed away Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Smith Center, Kansas. She was born on June 16, 1938, in Albany, Oregon. She was the second child born to Darold and Frances (Underwood) Lindley. She grew up in Albany and loved to play with the neighborhood kids, ride her bike, and read. Her favorites were The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, and Black Beauty. She also loved going to work with her dad on his Borden's Dairy farm rounds. Her treasured piano was bought with a war bond, and she began taking piano lessons which she continued through high school.
When her younger brother died, some close neighbors, Don and Laveda Walter, invited her to Sunday School. She gave her heart to the Lord and began a lifetime of Christian service and devotion to God. Some of her favorite memories of high school were attending Christ Ambassador crusades and participating in church activities at First Assembly of God in Albany. She often spoke highly of Pastor Book and the profound influence he had on her life. She spent the summers earning money for school by picking strawberries, green beans and hops. She graduated from Albany Union High School in 1956 and attended Bethany Bible College.
During her college years, she worked in the library, sang in the traveling Bethany Singers group, and majored in Elementary Education. She graduated in 1960 with her degree and returned to Oregon to begin her teaching career. She worked at several Christian grade schools. Her college best friend, Clara, was working at a Christian school in northern California and invited her to come visit. This is when she met her future husband and boss. After her current teaching contract was completed, she moved to Durham, California, and began working at Sierra Christian Academy.
For eight years, she taught various grades and high school math classes. She and the other single teachers would often spend time together and fundraise for the school. In the summer of 1971, she returned to Oregon to complete her Master's in Education degree. She graduated and returned to Durham to discover that her secret love was now interested in possibly getting married. A few days later, the two of them drove to Sacramento to pick up textbooks for the upcoming school year. That trip led to a date and a short time later, a proposal of marriage. On November 21, 1971, she married Merlyn Watts. Shortly after their honeymoon, they became foster parents and continued fostering through the early years of their marriage. To this union, a daughter, Heather, was born.
When Sierra Christian Academy closed, the family moved to Salem, Oregon, and she began teaching at Salem Christian Academy. In 1978, a new job opportunity led the family to move to San Francisco. She utilized her math and accounting skills to manage Girardin's Church Furnishings Company. In 1983, the Lord impressed the couple to move to Smith Center, Kansas. Merlyn pastored Calvary Gospel Church for over 20 years. She was the church piano player and a Sunday School teacher, as well as the women's missionary group leader. Zidana substitute taught when she could and worked in the laundry at today's Smith Center Health and Rehab before being promoted to Activities Director. She later transitioned to Social Services at Prairie Haven Nursing Home in Kensington, Kansas. She worked at The Manna Shoppe and later bought and managed the store until closing it in 2007.
Shortly after closing the store, she was diagnosed with cancer and fought for a year until she went into remission. Her health was good until a stroke in 2015 that impaired her eyesight and independence. After a fall at home, she went to Smith Center Health and Rehab where she remained until her death.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her older brother, Dwayne; her younger brother, Robert; and her husband Merlyn.
Zidana is survived by her daughter, Heather Watts of Kailua, Hawaii.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, July 25, 2024, at All Faiths Funeral Chapel, 113 S. Madison St., Smith Center, Kansas, with Pastor Mike Gooder officiating.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the funeral chapel.
The burial will take place in the Hammond Cemetery, Harlan, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Division of Foreign Missions Assembly of God and can be sent in care of the funeral chapel.
www.allfaithsfuneralchapel.com

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