Earl C. Watson Sr., a former director of animal control for the city who had also been an educator, died of renal cancer on April 10 at Gilchrist Hospice Care in Towson, He was 80 and lived in Randallstown.

The son of David Harry Watson Sr., a waiter, and Beatrice Russell Watson, a licensed cosmetologist, Earl Carrington Watson Sr. was born in Baltimore and raised on Arlington Avenue.

He was a 1953 graduate of Douglass High School and received a bachelor's degree in 1965 from what is now Coppin State University, where he also took graduate studies in education.

Mr. Watson served in the Army as a communications specialist from 1959 until being discharged in 1961.

Mr. Watson taught for five years at Johnston Square Elementary School until 1970, when he became assistant director of health education at what was then Baltimore City Hospitals.

He later became senior health educator for the city Health Department and, for the last seven years of his career until retiring in 1996, he was director of animal control.

A longtime Windsor Mills resident, Mr. Watson was also an instructor for 20 years in the continuing education department at the Community College of Baltimore City, and he coached basketball and football for the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks.

Mr. Watson was an avid golfer. For the last 40 years he enjoyed the sport at Forest Park Golf Course, where he also worked.

In addition to collecting golf memorabilia, he was a 10-pin bowler.

He was also a fan of the Maryland Terrapins and the Baltimore Orioles and Ravens.

Mr. Watson was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, 3911 Garrison Blvd., where funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday. .

He is survived by his childhood sweetheart and wife of more than 50 years, the former Inez Augins, a health care administrator; three sons, Earl C. Watson Jr. and Antonio Watson Sr., both of Windsor Mills, and David Watson Sr. of West Baltimore; a daughter, Adrienne Watson Carver of Randallstown; a brother, Alvin Watson of Baltimore; a sister, Muriel-Beulah Roberts of Ellicott City; 14 grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.

—?Frederick N. Rasmussen