Jessie Watson

Jessie B.

A lover of sweets, family, basketball, music, and his next entrepreneurial adventure, Jessie lived life with a tenacity and joy not often seen.

From a young age, Jessie had a natural drive to work and create. He started his first businesses selling cucumbers, picking up and reselling bottles, and even mailing pennies. With money from his first businesses, he bought his favorites -honeybuns and chocolate milk. He often said, “What are you afraid of? It’s just work. My daddy never complained about work.” And work Jessie did.

As a teenager, he dominated the basketball court with NBA aspirations. As an adult, he made his mark in the carpet cleaning industry and real estate. Sacrificing his own comfort, he worked long hours—in the heat, cold, and rain—to ensure his family always had his best. Jessie’s love ran deep—for his wife, his 12 sisters and brother, his 4 children, and his 7 grandchildren. Though not always expressed in words, hi love was unmistakably shown through his actions.

If there was a need and Jessie had it, you had it. If something needed to be done and Jessie could do it, he did it. That’s what made him the “Black Knight,” to his wife and so many others. Jessie wasn’t a perfect man, but he was a loving one. His faith in God and his devotion to family were at the center of his life.

And when workweeks ended, Jessie played as hard as he worked. He was the life of any gathering—an incredible storyteller with unstoppable humor. Whether preaching a sermon or sitting on a porch with friends, he always had stories to tell for days. Even though he knew he couldn’t dance, that never stopped him from hitting the dance floor with his signature moves or singing his favorite old-school songs—lyrics included.

He loved bringing people together—family, laughter, food, and desserts were always part of the plan. Jessie lived by one simple but powerful truth: “Family is everything.”

In June 2025, Jessie preached what would be his final sermon at a church a couple of hours from Memphis, Tennessee. In a way only Jessie could, he unknowingly preached his own eulogy.

And now we say, “Yes, We will see you on the other side.” We look forward to seeing you again—with your hair back.