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WATTS, Helen

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WATTS, Helen Streed. (Fairfield, IA, Dec. 19, 1916--Dubuque, IA, June 8, 2017). Helen and a twin brother, Howard, were born to Grace (Howard) Streed and August W. Streed. She attended elementary school in Fairfield and Middletown, Iowa, graduating from the Burlington, Iowa High School in 1935 and junior college in 1937. Helen received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Iowa State Teachers College, Cedar Falls (later University of Northern Iowa) in 1941 and a Masters Degree in Educational Supervision and Administration from the University of Iowa in 1955.

Helen married William J. Watts from Brooklyn N.Y., in 1944 at Norfolk, Va.

In her 42 years of teaching, she taught at all levels from kindergarten to college, beginning her career in a rural school (Concordia), in Des Moines County, Iowa, in 1937. Securing her college degree she taught in high school at Montezuma, Iowa until WORLD WAR II in which she served as a WAVE. After the war she was employed as a high school teacher in Brooklyn, N.Y. for a year, and then in 1949 became principal/teacher at the Middletown, Iowa elementary school.

Because her husband served in the Navy, she continued as a teacher and as a principal in the Department of Defense schools in Trinidad, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Rota, Spain and Sidi Yahia, Morocco. When the family moved to Dubuque in 1957 she taught briefly at the UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE. Returning to Dubuque in 1964 she taught at IRVING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. In 1965, she was employed by the University of Dubuque as an Assistant Professor of Education, retiring in 1982. She worked on the development of the Tri-College Plan.

Helen was a member of several educational organizations including Phi Delta Kappa (one term as president of the local chapter), Kappa Delta Pi, and Delta Kappa Gamma. She was a Life Member of the Iowa State Teachers Association and the NEA. She also was a member and president for three terms of the Dubuque Chapter of the AAUW and the IP chapter of the P.E.O. As a member of WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, she served as Moderator of the Presbyterian Women and as an Elder for several terms. She represented the church on several committees in the John Knox Presbytery.

Her special interest was in Camp Courageous of Iowa where she served on the Board for 21 years. Professor emeritus. For more than twenty years, Watts taught at the UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE preparing future educators.

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Source:

Obituaries. Dubuque Today. Online: http://www.dubuquetoday.com/obituaries.cfm#Helen%20Streed%20Watts