Father's Day - Official Jody Watley Website

Though it’s been decades – not a single days goes by when I don’t think of or miss my Dad -Rev.John Watley Jr.

I’m glad I was able to know him, many kids don’t have relationships with their Dads unfortunately. My father the first one to claim my destiny as a music star. He was always bragging about me his “Princess” his “Superstar.” He didn’t live to see all of it but his prophecy for me came true. My Dad instilled in me many pearls of wisdom and character that continue to inspire and keep me strong ..my Dad was also charismatic in and out of the pulpit, a showman, first stylish male figure I saw, never wore jeans, always read the newspaper paper, made sure I read the encyclopedia, and so many strict rules that I grew to appreciate once I grew up. He had a great smile (I have his smile and forehead, and cheekbones) was a visionary in the COGIC a fact that also got him excommunicated because he openly accepted gay people and spoke on it. This is a subject I learned about later growing up through my Mom. He had love for all; embraced and created the concept “Christmas In August” (don’t wait to be charitable or giving, and don’t wait to use your nice things or to celebrate life). Seeing how the church people did him made me not religious or one of organized religion – but more of a spiritual person. I cover this in my in progress memoir.

I’m an Aquarian like him – his birthday is the day before mine. He was outside the box – I got that from him. My Dad loved fresh salads and spicy foods-I do too!

His sudden passing in 1982 changed how I live my life – cherish each day and those you love-never take either for granted. I can always hear him saying “It’s not what other people think of you -it’s what you think of yourself “ “.. only the strong survive” “always have your own money..” endless gems.

Continue to Rest In Peace Dad.
Happy Father’s Day.

Note: I have no pictures of my father and I together- at one one our family lost everything in storage when we went through a tough time. I have only a couple of him. He would have loved seeing Tiger Woods success I’m sure.

I love this one of him as a young man-making history in golf, he endured racism coming up of course and wanting to be a pro golfer at the time.

My Dad would give up his passion for the sport to follow his own fathers path into the ministry.

My love of sports came from my Dad: especially basketball and golf. I knew he loved to golf when I was little, and I had a vague memory of a big trophy in our living room but never really knew what it was. My Mom had told me in later years that my Dad could have been a Tiger Woods of his generation. She also told me he’d made a bit of history of his own as a teen-ager. My father was on the road to being a professional golfer but followed his own father’s footsteps into the ministry in the COGIC (Church of God In Christ) instead. Coming across this clipping of my father from JET Magazine in 1952, noting his being the first ‘Negro’ to win this tournament really made me smile. I love my father, and miss him everyday. He was a trailblazer in golf and in the COGIC (he had great diverse vision that the church powers that be didn’t fully embrace) – most of all he was my Dad.

Happy Father’s Day Dads.