History & Staff

Why Us?

In a nutshell? Experience, professionalism, compassion, and empathy.

We've learned a lot over many years. Like how to present options without overwhelming. And how to meet the needs of many caring parties. People come to us in difficult times, and we respond kindness, calmness and expertise. Our goal is to create a beautiful occasion and make you feel welcome, always. We spend our days planning with families. We stay up to date with industry developments. And we make hard times a little easier.

Originally founded by Gardner and Laura May Watson in 1942, Watson-Hunt Funeral Home has a long and illustrious history. Believed to be the oldest residence in Perry, the home was built in 1852 by the late Judge Samuel Doddridge Killen, the first Judge of the city court in Perry. Many knew of the home as "The Palace Beautiful." Upon Mr. Killen's death, the home was sold to Mrs. Francis Marion King, organizer of the Georgia Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy. Later, in 1925, the home was sold to the Penn-Dixie Cement Corporation for use as a residence for the plant superintendent and president of the company. Mr. and Mrs. Watson purchased the property in 1955 and completely renovated it for use as a funeral home. "In the atmosphere of your own home" became the slogan that is still used today.

As Perry grew, the need to enlarge became apparent. The decision to build a new facility or remain in the beautiful old home needed to be made. After much thought, it was decided to add a chapel, lounge, apartment, new restrooms, and handicapped-accessible ramps to the old home. This renovation was completed in 1984.

Riley Hunt became associated with the firm in 1960 and became a partner in 1968. Mr. Gardner Watson's son, Draper, joined the firm in 1970 and became a partner in 1972. Mr. Hunt sold his interest in the firm to Draper Watson in 1999. Mr. and Mrs. Gardner Watson's legacies still continue to influence the funeral industry in Houston County. Mrs. Laura May Watson was one of the first woman to become a Licensed Funeral Director in the state of Georgia. The Watson's retired after many successful years serving families. In 1998, Mr.Gardner Watson died after a lengthy illness and the following year in 1999, Mrs. Laura May Watson passed away to join her husband. Their son Draper Watson continues to provide the same compassionate service that he learned from his parents.

The need for another major renovation was completed in 2001. Bob Brewer and Dawne Watson were at the helm of the design task. The home received new carpeting, paint, and wallpaper, and a number of antiques were also added. With the charm and the history of our facility at 1208 Main Street, we decided to continue serving the people of Perry in our newly renovated facility in lieu of building a new facility.

The community saw a need for a perpetual care cemetery in the area, so Gardner Watson developed Perry Memorial Gardens in 1965. Still family owned and operated by The Watson Family. Our cemetery offers ground spaces for traditional burials, cremation niches to entomb your loved ones cremains, as well as private mausoleums. The cemetery is located on U.S. Highway 41 North, a mile north of Perry. With Watson-Hunt Funeral Home and Perry Memorial Gardens owned and managed locally, families have the ability to make all of their decisions at one location, eliminating much of the stress involved in the decision-making process.

Watson-Hunt takes great pride in being involved in our community through support of our churches, the Chamber of Commerce, civic clubs, schools, and charitable organizations. We have elected to remain locally owned and managed because we feel that we can provide much more personal attention to our families. Our commitment is one of trust and simply "doing what is right."

Thank you for trusting Watson-Hunt Funeral Home with your loved one.

Lisa Hays

Lisa has lived in Perry, Georgia, most of her life. She graduated from The Westfield Schools, received an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from Middle Georgia College in Cochran, and graduated from Georgia Southwestern College with a Bachelor's Degree in Middle Grades Education. Always eager to further her education, she returned to Georgia Southwestern for a Master's Degree in Reading Education. After over a decade of teaching school, she became a stay-at-home mom with her newborn twins. While she enjoyed her babies, an opportunity to serve her community was presented, and Lisa accepted a part-time position with Watson-Hunt Funeral Home as a Family Services Counselor, assisting families with pre-planning their own funerals. It wouldn’t be long before she discovered a hidden passion for directing and planning funerals, and she returned to college and earned an Associate’s Degree in Mortuary Science from Ogeechee Technical College. She proudly turned her part-time position into a full-time career and is a Georgia Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer. Lisa has taken courses and is also a licensed Georgia Life Insurance Agent, a licensed Georgia Cemetery Sales Agent, and is an NFDA Certified Preplanning Consultant (CPC) and an NFDA Certified Cremation Services Provider (CCSP). She is a member of the Georgia Funeral Directors Association and the National Funeral Directors Association. Lisa has been nominated for Perry Business Woman of the Year and was the 2013 recipient of the Seabie Hickson Community Service Award presented by the Perry Chamber of Commerce. On January 1, 2020, she purchased Watson-Hunt Funeral Home from long-time owner and funeral director, Mr. Draper Watson, whose parents began Watson-Hunt Funeral Home in the late 1950's.

Lisa makes her home in Perry with her children, Catherine “Sissy” Hays, and Cary “Tank” Hays. Her daughter, Korah Beth Clark, lives and works in Murray, Kentucky. Lisa is a member of Perry United Methodist Church, where she previously served on the Administrative Board. She is a long-time member of one of the Women's Service Leagues in Perry, the Balvaunuca Club. She is the founder and annual Event Chairman for Balvaunuca’s Mistletoe Market since it's inception in 2005. Lisa continues to serve on the Board of Directors for Jay's HOPE, a Childhood Cancer Foundation, and served on the Board of Directors at Heart of Georgia Hospice, a non-profit Hospice Organization serving all of Middle Georgia. She loves Perry and Houston County and is proud to continue serving the community in various ways.