Peter Stuart Watt of Needham, MA passed away at home surrounded by family on March 19, after a short illness.

Peter was born in Aylesbury, England on December 28, 1947, to William and Mildred Watt. He spent much of his early childhood traveling the world along with his parents, older brother Eric, and younger sister Sally in support of his father’s service as a Squadron Leader in Britain’s Royal Air Force. The family spent spells in Egypt and Aden, among other places, which he often recalled fondly to family and friends. From age 11, he attended boarding school at Archbishop Holgate’s School in York, England and graduated from Watford College of Technology with his Higher National Diploma in 1969 before completing further certification at Middlesex University in 1970.

Peter’s life was largely defined by his relationship with his beloved wife Abby who he met in 1971 while serving as property manager of a building where she’d rented a room. They married on August 18, 1973, and lived in Golders Green, London for several years where they welcomed two of their sons, Ezzy and Aaron. In 1979, the family emigrated to the United States and moved to Needham, Massachusetts, where he would spend the next 46 years of his life. They had a third son, Iain, in 1982.

Professionally, Peter started his career as an electrical engineer at Ove Arup Partners. Among the jobs he completed at various firms in England, he was most proud of creating the continuous cookie line for McVitie & Price. After coming to America, he spent two decades at R.G. Vanderweil Engineers and later at Shooshanian Engineering and Flack & Kurtz WSP. He took great pride in his work, which took him around the United States as a Lead Electrical Design Engineer and PE, contributing to projects including the construction of the New Balance Headquarters, labs at the Charleston Navy Yard, and an athletic center at Michigan State University, among others. He retired in 2014 to spend more time with his family and enjoy days he often referred to as very much like childhood for all the joy the spare time allowed. 

In his free time, Peter enjoyed creating beautiful gardens, building and rebuilding his family home, and relaxing and napping to all kinds of sports – soccer, golf, car racing, and football foremost among them. A lifelong Arsenal and England soccer fan, he enjoyed watching his teams compete and frequently explaining away second place (or lower) finishes with the justification that rather than winning, “Twas better to have played the game”. He coached each of his sons’ teams in their youth as part of the Needham Soccer Club, including many successful seasons and great memories.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Abby, and his three sons and their wives: Ezzy and Megan Watt of Mission Viejo, CA; Aaron and Whitney Watt of Louisville, KY; and Iain and Julie Watt of Concord, NH. He is also survived by his six grandchildren who lit up his retirement and final years: Owen, Dylan, and Preston of Mission Viejo; Frazier and Anna of Louisville; and Sidney of Concord. And finally, by his sister, Sally Bishop and family, of Barnstable, England.

A small service will be held for family and friends in the future. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in his honor to the PBS Foundation or Doctors Without Borders.