Dee (Dietta) Watson earned a B.A. in physical education from University of Northern Iowa (1965). She spent three years teaching junior and senior high school girls’ physical education and elementary physical education in Storm Lake, Iowa, before pursuing the M.A. (1970) in physical education and recreation from Adams State College in Alamosa. From 1970 to 1973, Dee taught and coached basketball, track and field and was the cheerleader advisor at Moorhead State University in Moorhead, Minnesota. UND recruited her in August 1974 to coach women’s basketball (1974-1979) and field hockey (1974-1976). Dee conducted workshops on campus and all around the state for PR/First Aid and for teachers in Bowmon, Bismarck, Minot, Devils Lake and Grand Forks. During retirement, Dee is spending winters in Arizona and summers here in Grand Forks and Island Lake, nearby Minnesota.

Dee learned early in life about working hard. She and her three sisters grew up doing all the farm work with their mom and dad near Graettering, Iowa. She attended a one room country school through 4th grade, then finished junior and senior high school at Ringsted where she played interscholastic basketball and softball. One of her fondest memories is playing on the softball team with her three sisters the summer after she finished high school.

Dee earned her BA in physical education from the University of Northern Iowa in 1965. She spent three years teaching junior and senior high school girls' physical education and elementary physical education in Storm Lake, Iowa, before pursuing the MA (1970) in physical education and recreation from Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado where she also coached women's basketball and served as the Women's Recreational Association (WRA) director.

From 1970 to 1973, Dee taught and coached basketball, track and field and was the WRA and cheerleader advisor at Moorhead State University in Moorhead, Minnesota. UND recruited her in August 1974 to coach women's basketball (1974-1979) and field hockey (1974-1976). A fond memory of this time was going from last to second place and having a respectable field hockey team.

Dee officiated basketball, softball and field hockey at the local, state, regional and national level. She also served as president of the North Dakota Higher Education Association (NDHEA) as well as chairman of the history section of Central District American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance(AAHPERD).

Dee conducted CPR/First Aid workshops on campus and for teachers around the state including in Bowman, Bismarck, Minot, Devils Lake and Grand Forks.

Sources:

"Dietta (Dee) K. Watson." Kinesiology And Public Health Education. Http://education.und.edu/kinesiology-and-public-health-education/, n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2014.

Pierce, Jena, ed. "Retirements." Physical Education, Exercise Science & Wellness University of North Dakota (Fall 2012): 7. Www.pxw.und.edu. Web. 2 Dec. 2014.