The Passing of Longtime VWU Benefactor Eleanor Watts
Her family's name and unwavering support will last for generations to come
It is with a heavy heart that Virginia Wesleyan University shares the passing of Eleanor Watts, a longtime Virginia Wesleyan supporter who passed away on Sunday. Eleanor and Henry Watts have been dear friends to the University for many years. Mr. Watts began his service on the Board of Trustees in 1989 and served with distinction as Chair and Parliamentarian. He was named Trustee Emeritus in October 2020. 
The Watts are well known throughout the Marlin community, their name and passionate involvement attached to numerous landmarks and programs on campus that pay tribute to and were made possible by them, including the Eleanor and Henry Watts Grand Lobby and Gallery of the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center, Watts Hall in Honors Village, and, most recently, the Eleanor and Henry Watts Field House at Broyles Field in TowneBank Park for VWU Softball. They have also generously supported the Robert Nusbaum Center, the Eleanor and Henry Watts Scholarship, and the Marlin Athletic Fund.
Through their dedicated service and unwavering support, the Watts have enriched campus life in so many ways. To honor their continued guidance and support, in 2019 the University announced the formation of the D. Henry Watts School of Professional Studies. A portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Watts hangs in Founders Foyer, among the University's greatest benefactors, and will forever cement the importance of the family in Virginia Wesleyan history.
Married for 73 years, Eleanor Watts was always by her husband’s side and he by hers, whether it was cheering for the Marlins in athletic contests, traveling the world, or satisfying their voracious appetite for lifelong learning. Mrs. Watts attended George Mason University, majoring in sociology. While raising their three daughters, she volunteered as a docent at the Chrysler Museum of Art for 17 years.
We are deeply saddened by Mrs. Watts passing and will miss her dearly. VWU is grateful for her numerous contributions to the community and to the institution, which she served so faithfully. Virginia Wesleyan University faculty, staff, and students extends their sincerest sympathy to her husband, their three children, six grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, February 17 at 2:00 p.m. at Westminster Canterbury Chapel (3100 Shore Drive in Virginia Beach). Further information can be found here.