A celebration of Brian‘s life 

 will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday,

August 1, 2026, at Macedonia Cemetery in Watonga, Oklahoma. Family

and friends are asked to gather at 9:00 a.m. at Watonga Church of the

Nazarene, 1412 E. Russworm Drive, Watonga, Oklahoma, before

proceeding together to the cemetery. A repast will immediately follow

at the Watonga Church of the Nazarene

 

THE LIFE AND LEGACY

BRIAN PERNELL WATSON, 45, OF WASHINGTON, D.C. , TRANSITIONED

PEACEFULLY ON JULY 17, 2026. HE WAS BORN IN MIDWEST CITY,

OKLAHOMA, ON JULY 7, 1981, TO GARY A. WATSON AND DARLENE

MEADOWS. BRIAN WAS RAISED IN OKLAHOMA BEFORE RELOCATING TO

PHILADELPHIA AND LATER MAKING WASHINGTON, D.C. , HIS HOME,

WHERE HE SPENT MUCH OF HIS ADULT LIFE SERVING HIS COMMUNITY

THROUGH ADVOCACY, LEADERSHIP, AND PUBLIC SERVICE.

GROWING UP IN OKLAHOMA, BRIAN DEVELOPED A DEEP LOVE FOR HIS

FAITH, FAMILY, MUSIC, AND SERVING OTHERS. HIS UPBRINGING IN THE

CHURCH SHAPED THE VALUES THAT GUIDED HIM THROUGHOUT HIS

LIFE AND INSPIRED HIS LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO HELPING THOSE IN

NEED.

AT THE AGE OF 17, BRIAN HOSTED A SUNDAY MORNING GOSPEL

SEGMENT FROM 9:00 TO 9:30 A.M. ON AN OKLAHOMA CITY RADIO

STATION, SHARING HIS LOVE OF GOSPEL MUSIC AND WORDS OF

ENCOURAGEMENT WITH LISTENERS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

BRIAN GRADUATED FROM STAR SPENCER HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE HE

PROUDLY SERVED AS DRUM MAJOR OF THE MARCHING BAND. A GIFTED

MUSICIAN, HE MASTERED FIVE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND WAS ALSO

AN ACCOMPLISHED TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE, COMPETING IN THE

HURDLES. AT 18 YEARS OLD, BRIAN BECAME A CERTIFIED

PHLEBOTOMIST BEFORE LEAVING OKLAHOMA TO BEGIN HIS CAREER IN

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. HIS JOURNEY EVENTUALLY BROUGHT

HIM TO WASHINGTON, D.C. , WHERE HE DISCOVERED HIS LIFE’S

CALLING IN ADVOCACY, PUBLIC SERVICE, AND CARING FOR

UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.

BRIAN SERVED AS SECRETARY AND PRESIDENT OF THE D.C. COALITION

OF BLACK LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER MEN AND

WOMEN, THE OLDEST BLACK LGBTQ ORGANIZATION IN THE UNITED

STATES. HE LATER SERVED AS DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS FOR

TRANSGENDER HEALTH EMPOWERMENT, INC. , WHERE HE DEDICATED

HIMSELF TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH

HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ+ YOUTH, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND

COUNTLESS OTHERS IN NEED OF COMPASSION AND SUPPORT.

IN 2008, BRIAN HELPED ESTABLISH THE WANDA ALSTON HOUSE,

SERVING AS ITS FOUNDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UNTIL 2014. UNDER

HIS LEADERSHIP, IT BECAME THE FIRST TRANSITIONAL HOUSING

PROGRAM IN THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA DEDICATED TO

LGBTQ+ YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. THROUGHOUT HIS

CAREER, BRIAN EDUCATED HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, LAW

ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, FOSTER CARE ORGANIZATIONS, HOMELESS

SERVICE PROVIDERS, CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, AND FAITH

COMMUNITIES ON CULTURAL COMPETENCY, HIV/AIDS AWARENESS,

AND ADVOCACY.

BRIAN’S DEDICATION TO SERVICE EARNED HIM NUMEROUS HONORS,

INCLUDING RECOGNITION AS A CAPITAL PRIDE HERO, THE GLAA

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD, THE AMERICAN RED CROSS VOLUNTEER OF

THE YEAR AWARD, AND AN HONORARY DOCTOR OF HUMANE LETTERS FROM

LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE. HE ALSO SERVED ON NUMEROUS

ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS APPOINTED BY THE MAYORS OF THE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, HELPING SHAPE PUBLIC POLICY ON HIV/AIDS,

HOMELESSNESS, AND LGBTQ+ AFFAIRS.

WHILE MANY RECOGNIZED BRIAN FOR HIS PUBLIC SERVICE, HIS FAMILY

KNEW HIM AS A LOVING SON, DEVOTED BROTHER, CHERISHED UNCLE,

FAITHFUL FRIEND, AND CONSTANT SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT. HE NEVER

FORGOT HIS OKLAHOMA ROOTS OR THE FAMILY WHO SUPPORTED HIM

THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. BRIAN HAD AN INFECTIOUS SMILE, A GENEROUS

SPIRIT, AND AN EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY TO MAKE EVERYONE FEEL

WELCOMED AND VALUED. HIS FAITH REMAINED A GUIDING FORCE, AND HE

BELIEVED THAT A LIFE OF PURPOSE WAS ONE SPENT SERVING OTHERS.

BRIAN WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS GRANDMOTHERS, NORMA MEADOWS

AND LUCILLE WATSON, AND HIS GRANDFATHER, ROBERT WATSON.

HE LEAVES TO CHERISH HIS MEMORY HIS LOVING PARENTS, DARLENE

MEADOWS AND GARY A. WATSON; HIS BROTHER, VIDALE WATSON; HIS

SISTERS, SHAWN (WATSON) JONES, GABRIELLE HERBISON, AND ROSETTA

HERBISON; HIS NIECE, PEYTON WATSON, AND NEPHEWS, RYAN BURNEY,

CAMERON JONES AND VIDALE WATSON JR; ALONG WITH A HOST OF AUNTS,

UNCLES, COUSINS, EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBERS, DEAR FRIENDS,

COLLEAGUES, AND THE COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS WHOSE LIVES WERE

FOREVER CHANGED BY HIS COMPASSION, ADVOCACY, AND UNWAVERING

LOVE FOR OTHE

 

Repast

Following the service, family and friends are

warmly invited to join us for a repast as we

gather to share memories, fellowship, and

celebrate Brian’s life.

 

Nazarene Church Recreational Center

Watonga Church of the Nazarene

1412 E. Russworm Drive

Watonga, OK 73772

Floral Arrangements

Floral arrangements may be sent to:

The Funeral Home, LLC

102 East 1st Street

Watonga, OK 73772

Cards & Expressions of Sympathy Or Flowers

may be mailed to:

Watson Family

1516 NE 67th Street

Oklahoma City, OK 73111