Cleveland Ray “Cleve” Watts

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Cleveland Ray “Cleve” Watts, 72, of Lincoln passed away April 19, 2024. Born March 11, 1952, in Lincoln, NE to Ray and Darline (Ward) Watts.

Cleve owned Concrete Foundations, INC, a company that poured basements and was a Real Estate Investor/Landlord for many years. He enjoyed a Denver omelet from Village Inn on south 27th St, a good ocean crossing in his Doral 310SE, sitting on the front porch of his house in The Bahamas admiring the ocean, a double captain and diet from any bar that knew how to pour them, shooting guns/target practice, dancing: tap or spinning the ladies at Nippers around the self-made dance floor as they were lined up at the palm tree, and believe it or not he was even a certified scuba diver and enjoyed that as well. He was a man of many talents.

Cleve had many friends & framily from all different areas of his life: old employees (believe it or not), Norm’s Aluminum Softball team, Lincoln NE Class of 70’, The Edgewood Bottle Shop Softball Team, The Bahamas, & Tenants at the buildings. He had big heart and strived to always be as fair as he could. He always tried to keep it light and funny. He was ornery “just around the edges”. And he didn’t accept criticism well which he often admitted.

He loved hard. And he was loved hard back. He was so proud of his children and grandchildren for all their successes in their lives. Anything from great accomplishments in careers, higher education, family, all the way down to the grandkids extracurricular activities which he attended. He loved seeing them all do what lit their hearts on fire.

Family members include his children Kimberly (Daniel) Wideman, Cary, NC, Amy (Brad) Argue, Colorado Springs, CO, Justin Watts, Lincoln, NE, and Nikki (Devin) Ostrander, Hickman, NE; 11 grandchildren – Elena, Saif, Michela, Susanna, Bennett, Jamin, Kendall, Neely, Emmitt, Gunner, & Barrett; sister Cyndie (Dan) White, Claytonia, NE. Preceded in death by his parents.

A Celebration of Life service will be held 2:00 pm Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at Roper and Sons South Lincoln Chapel, 3950 Hohensee Drive.
Memorials to Peoples City Mission, 110 Q Street, Lincoln, NE 68508. (Don’t forget to bring your memories to share)

Service will be livestreamed 10 minutes before starting time.

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Services

May15

Celebration of Life

2:00 pm CST

Roper & Sons South Chapel

3950 Hohensee Drive (40th & Yankee Hill)
Lincoln, NE 68516

(402) 261-5907

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May 15, 2024

We lived in the same apartment building and became great friends. One day I went to his apartment to talk. We sat down and were surprised by a loud POP! We wondered what it was and then heard it again. POP! Soon I looked in the kitchen and saw an egg fly up out of a pan and said, “Cleve? Are you trying to cook eggs?” He jumped up and ran to the kitchen to find that the eggs he had been boiling had been forgotten about and the pan no longer had water. Some time was spent cleaning egg off the wall. Over the years as our friendship grew, I was bound to a wheelchair due to MS. I asked him once, “Why would you want to be with a friend like me, bound to a wheelchair?” He said, “I just see you. I don’t even see the wheelchair.” We were both alone and enjoyed one another’s companionship. When we went to dinner, the arrangement was always the same; I drove and he paid. One outing took us to a pancake feed which requested a cash donation. He gave generously. He was always a very kind and generous man. I will miss him.

– Maryann Hoyer

May 15, 2024

As we mourn the loss of Cleve, we celebrate his life and the legacy he left through his wonderful children and grandchildren.

– Patty Krafft

May 5, 2024

Prairie Prison, violin, Fourth of July, Bahamas, nipers, shark fishing, Alex poking, best buddies, great stories, great memories! Miss him!

– The Webster’s

April 25, 2024

I have very fond memories of Cleve as a friend and as my boss for almost two years part time at Watts Construction back in the early 70’s. Worked with Cleve and his dad Ray and a number of other Northeast grads who all got along and had fun working together. Ray and Cleve would hold holiday parties and one year served moose steaks from a hunting trip in Canada. I saw Cleve last summer walking with someone on a bike trail and we had a good conversation. He looked good then and it was great to see him. He was hard worker and smart and liked to have fun once the day was wrapped up. RIP Cleve.