October 2004

By Bill Lower

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On Monday, September 20, Jesse Watson, Bolivar, MO was killed in an automobile accident near his home. He was returning home from hauling hay on his ranch. He had a possible heart attack causing him to run off the highway and be thrown from his pickup. He was the Libertarian candidate for the 133rd state House position. He is survived by his wife, Yin, a daughter, and three sons. Jesse was 56 years old.

Jesse had also run for the 28th state Senate in the last election cycle. He was the sparkplug of our local Libertarian group and had the gift of getting down to the nitty gritty of how to view a political argument from a libertarian, freedom oriented position. In events with opposing candidates on stage he could get the audience nodding in agreement with him, after they dozed through the other guy's speeches. Even though they might still be reluctant to cross party lines and vote for him, they knew he talked the most common sense and voiced what they actually agreed with.

Jesse will be greatly missed by all who knew him, and certainly by our small Libertarian group here in southwest Missouri.