On the evening of July 4, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing Associate Emeritus Professor of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing June I. Watt passed away at the age of 93.
Born June 23, 1918, Watt received her master’s degree in psychiatric-mental health nursing from New York University. She was ahead of her time in the clinical setting for psychiatric-mental health nursing, and she was a nursing school faculty member for 25 years. In July of 1971, she began a joint appointment as chair of the psychiatric nursing clinical faculty in the nursing school and as the director-chairman of psychiatric nursing at University Hospitals Hanna Pavilion (which was during the time part of the “Experiment in Nursing,” when nursing faculty members first served as academic leaders for nursing in both the educational and clinical arenas). For her dedication, she later became an honorary alumna of the nursing school.
Watt was an invaluable mentor to Dean May Wykle and many other proud nursing alumni, as well as a beloved faculty member and great friend and supporter of the nursing school. The nursing school plans to collaborate with Judson Park (her place of residence since 2000) regarding a memorial for her in the near future.