James "Harry" William Henry Watson

Newport, NH: J.W. Henry (Harry) Watson of Newport, NH died March 19, 2023, of cancer. He was 74. He is the son of Mary Agnes Martin and Gordan Henry Watson (both deceased) of Brantford, Ontario. Before becoming a businessman and investor, Harry spent nine years on the faculty of the University of Chicago, after receiving a PhD in economics from UCLA. Prior to this he received a BA (honors) in economics from the University of Western Ontario, Canada.

In 2016 he and two partners purchased RDS Machine in Newport, NH, a precision machining company. Prior to this he was a majority owner of the Coldwell Banker real estate franchise in southeast Michigan, and before this, a partner in BlackEagle Partners, a private equity firm. In 1991 he founded Caledonia Group, a consulting firm that pioneered “lean” practices at manufacturing companies.

Harry was a philanthropist, a foodie, a delightful raconteur, and collector of advanced technology items and cultural artifacts. He served on the board of the Newport Opera House and was a supporter of the Newport Montessori School where his granddaughter is a student.

He is survived by his wife, Ida Walters, daughters Catherine, Marty, and Ebony, and two grandchildren, Ida Joellen and Lucy.

A Celebration of Life will be announced in the summer in Newport.

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