Pontiac-area coroner dies after brief battle with illness
A void in the Livingston County government was created recently with the death of coroner Danny “Doc” Watson.
Watson died after a brief illness on Sunday, Nov. 19, at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington.
Danny L. Watson, 74, of Flanagan served as Livingston County Coroner from 2016 until his death. Watson began working as an assistant coroner in 1996 under Michael Burke.
Burke announced that he was planning on retiring at the end of his term in 2016, but left office earlier due to personal reasons. This allowed Watson to take over as temporary coroner on March 16, 2016. He was later named interim coroner to fill out the term. Watson had already announced that he was running for the position after Burke said he was retiring.
Watson won the coroner's race in 2016 and again in 2020. He was planning on running for a third term in 2024.
“He was the most caring individual,” Administrative Chief Deputy Coroner Shelly Lewis said. “He was just an all-out great person.”
Lewis has been named as the interim county coroner until a replacement is named. According to Livingston County Board Chairman James Carley in a news release, state statute requires that the appointment of a replacement must be made within 60 days by the board chairman with the consent of the board.
Persons interested in applying for the position need to submit a letter of interest to Carley at the County Board Office, 112 W. Madison St., Pontiac, IL, 61764.
The appointment is expected to be announced at the next county board meeting, which is on Dec. 14. The replacement will hold the coroner's position until Nov. 30, 2024. The vacancy will be officially filled by the winner of the General Election on Nov. 5, 2024.
Watson was known to run his office by the book and not take shortcuts. He also made it his mission to make efforts to keep families, especially children, as comfortable as possible when he made calls.
Danny L. Watson was born on April 1, 1949, in Danville to Guy and Ethel (Gaylan) Watson. He grew up in Flanagan and graduated from Flanagan High School in 1969. On Feb. 6, 1971, Watson married the former Gale A. Schneider in Flanagan.
Watson received a degree in diesel engineering from Spoon River College in Canton. He served for more than 40 years as a fireman, training officer, engineer, assistant chief and chief for the Flanagan-Graymont Fire Protection District. He also served as an EMT and captain with the Flanagan-Graymont Ambulance Service.
Watson also served as a certified part-time officer with the Livingston County Sheriff's Department before retiring. He was also a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Flanagan.
Besides his wife, Gale, Watson is survived by his sons Shawn (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Ryan (Moorehead, NC), and daughter Kelly A. Kramer (Anchorage, Ak.); grandchildren Triston, Alixandria, Grace, Avery, Dade, Kimber and Ryder, and niece Nina Drollinger (Rankin, Ill.).
This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Livingston County Coroner Doc Watson dies after short illness
