It’s with deep sadness that the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department announces the passing of Life Member, Bill Watts on February 12, 2023. Shakey joined the LVFD in August 1967 and stayed active well into his Life Membership years. Most recently he was a regular with the Saturday morning Life Member committee, always ready to provide sage advice to Department leadership!

He was born in Laurel, MD on Prince George Street at the then Laurel Hospital on April 7, 1951 to Edgar and Gerry Watts and sister Sharon. Bill retired from the Prince George’s County Police Department in 1992 after 23 years of service.

In addition to his years of service with the LVFD and the County, he was a Mason with the Laurel Wreath Lodge; a member of First United Methodist Church Laurel where he served as a choir member as a boy, to a trustee as an adult and finally as the memorial garden gardener for many years; and the President of the Ivy Hill Cemetery Association.

Shakey lived our motto Service for Others. He will be sorely missed around the firehouse and his community.

Service arrangements follow:

• Visitation on Thursday, February 16th, 4-7pm at the Laurel firehouse (7411 Cherry Ln)
• FD memorial service at 7pm
• Church service on Friday, February 17th, at First United Methodist Church of Laurel
  424 Main Street Laurel, MD
• Internment at Ivy Hill Cemetery 1201 Sandy Spring Road Laurel, MD, following the church service and short procession to the cemetery.