Jeffrey Karl Watts

May 4, 1957 - Jan. 13, 2023

Date of Service: Jan. 28, 2023

MURTAUGH – Jeffrey Karl Watts died peacefully at home in Murtaugh, Idaho, on January 13, 2023, at the age of 65. Jeff was born the sixth of seven children on May 4, 1957, in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Earl and Lova (Tolman) Watts. He graduated from Murtaugh High School in 1975 and attended Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho.

He served a mission in the Indiana Indianapolis Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During this time and through letters he met Kelli Mulkay. They were married in the Idaho Falls Temple in 1979.

Together they made Murtaugh home, where they welcomed three sons and one daughter. Jeff spent his occupational life working on the family dairy farm where he taught his family to work and love the things he loved. He worked hard and developed many lifelong relationships with neighbors and friends.

He enjoyed snowmobiling in the winter and going to local ballgames in the fall and winter. He was an avid Dallas Cowboy fan and stuck with them through good times and bad. He has enjoyed reading by the fire and keeping track of grandkids through Facetime.

Jeff served in the primary, loving the children and the music. Most of his service was as the Murtaugh Ward Clerk where he diligently kept track of the coming and going of the ward and its members. He served as a senior missionary in the Twin Falls Employment Center. Jeff was a disciple of Jesus Christ and was always a missionary to others.

Jeff is survived by his wife, Kelli (Mulkay) Watts; sons, Jason (Nikell) Watts of Milo, Idaho, Robert (Malinda) Watts of Burley, Idaho, Chad (Amanda) Watts of Reno, Nevada; and daughter, Laura (Adrian) Walsh of Spanish Fork, Utah; and 16 grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers, Stanford (Susan) Watts, Douglas (Cathy) Watts, Kelly (Jane) Watts; and sister, Melanie (Ken) Thompson.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Lova (Tolman) Watts; and sisters, Rita Delaney and Barbara Hadlock.

Jeff climbed many physical health mountains in his life. As a family we would like to thank the many doctors and medical staff of St. Luke’s, as well as Elk’s Rehab in Boise and the St. Luke’s IRU in Twin Falls and the many dedicated therapists. We would like to send an extra special thanks for the love and support and encouragement he received from Nick Greenwell and his staff at Burley Physical Therapy and Rehab as well as the care Jeff received from Horizon Home Health and Hospice.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Murtaugh Ward, located at 23709 Hwy. 30, in Murtaugh, where family and friends will be received from 5 until 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27, and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Saturday, preceding the funeral. Burial will be in Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley.

A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/b24GRUFz8pQ.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home of Burley.