Benjamin Gordon Watts

Benjamin Gordon Watts passed away peacefully on Friday, June 20, 2025, in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. He was born on July 30, 1947, and his parents were George W. Watts, Jr. and Nelrea Taylor Watts of Chipley, Florida.

Ben graduated from Chipley High School in 1965. He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, graduated in 1969, and married his high school sweetheart, Gardis Cope, two weeks later. He served five years in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with tours of duty in Germany and South Korea.

In 1974, Ben joined the Florida Department of Transportation in Chipley, Florida and became a Registered Professional Engineer. In 1987, he was named District Secretary of the Orlando area district. In 1989, he was appointment Secretary of Transportation by Governor Bob Martinez. He was reappointed Secretary of Transportation by Governor Lawton Chiles in 1991 and in 1995. He resigned in 1997 to enter private business. Throughout Ben’s career, he received many awards, honors, and career designations. Two of these were the designation of the FDOT District 5 office building as the Ben G. Watts Building by the Florida Legislature in 1998 and the designation of U.S. Hwy 90 in Washington County as the Ben G. Watts Highway in 2012.

In 1997, Ben joined Carter & Burgess, Inc., a national architectural and engineering firm headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. He was named President and CEO of Carter & Burgess, Inc. in 2003. He retired in January, 2008 and returned to Florida.

Ben will be remembered for his strong Christian faith and as a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather. He will also be remembered as a trusted friend of many, a strong leader by those who worked with him, and as a mentor to young professionals. He wrote a letter each month to the employees of the Department of Transportation while he was Secretary and to the employees of Carter & Burgess, Inc. while he was President and CEO. He used personal stories to convey his overall approach to leadership, which was “Hard Work, Team Work, Honesty, Loyalty” in serving the citizens of Florida and in serving the clients of Carter & Burgess. That approach served him well throughout his life.

Ben and his wife Gardis chose DeFuniak Springs, Florida, for their retirement years so they could be close to their daughter’s family. They are members of First Baptist Church where Ben taught Sunday School and served as a deacon. He loved spending time with family, attending his grandsons’ games, and planning what he called ‘Excellent Adventures’ for Gardis. He was an avid golfer and a student of Abraham Lincoln. He loved history and enjoyed antique shops and used and rare book shops, where he collected books for his home library. Ben and Gardis spent time between their home in DeFuniak Springs and their cabin in North Carolina, with many stops in Atlanta to visit their son’s family.

Ben is survived by his wife of 56 years, Gardis Cope Watts of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, daughter Heather Watts Hall and husband Jamie of Paxton, Florida, and son Ben Watts, Jr. and his wife Melissa of Atlanta, Georgia. He was ‘Big Ben’ to his 4 grandsons Adam Hall, Will Hall, Caleb Watts, and Ethan Watts. He is also survived by his brother George W. Watts, III and his wife Bonnie of Darien, Connecticut, his sister Sarah Watts of Panama City, Florida, and Sue Sharpe.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00am on Monday, June 23, 2025, at First Baptist Church of DeFuniak Springs with Reverend Tim Burnham officiating. The family will receive friends for visitation at the church from 9:30-11:00am. Interment will follow at Glenwood Cemetery in Chipley, Florida at 2:30pm. McDonald Family Funeral Home is entrusted with directing.

Flowers will be accepted, or donations may be made to the Building Fund at First Baptist Church, 216 Live Oak Ave East, DeFuniak Springs, Florida 32435.