Ernestine Viola Watts, 90, of Winfield, Kansas, passed away Friday evening, June 12, 2026, at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.

Born February 26, 1936, east of Winfield on her mom’s parent’s farm, she was the daughter of Ernest E. and Goldia Viola (Glass) Warren. When she was seven years old, the family moved to a farm southwest of Winfield, where she was raised. She attended school at Hillview before it was consolidated with Mt. Zion. She graduated from Winfield High School in 1954. She attended one semester of college at Southwestern.

Ernestine began working at William Newton Memorial Hospital and was in charge of the west kitchen. She worked at a grocery store, Safeway, and as a dishwasher and fry cook for a small cafe named Bob Inn. While at the cafe, she met Wendell Watts on a blind date and six months later, the couple married on April 6, 1958. The couple made their first home in Winfield. In 1970, they bought an old house in Oxford and raised their family. While their children were young she worked as a seamstress for neighbors and others in the community. Ernestine returned to school receiving a Dietary Certificate and in 1985, she went to work at the Winfield State Hospital and Training Center where she was the Supervisor of Dietary until her retirement in 1998. Wendell preceded her in death on June 2, 1997.

In 2002 Ernestine moved to Medicine Lodge, Kansas. She returned to Winfield in 2015. She was a member of Country View Baptist Church in Udall, the Hospital Auxiliary in Medicine Lodge and the Bag Ladies Quilting Club. She was secretary for the Auxiliary for three years and made quilts for the health department, and teddy bears for the Auxiliary with lots of help from other members.

Her family includes her sons, Gene Watts and wife, Leanne of Winfield; Curtis Watts and wife, Connie of Wichita; Raymond Watts of Wellington; her daughters, Diane McCulley of Winfield; Susan Watts of Winfield; her grandchildren, Marc Brownlee (Audra), Mandy Brownlee Traffas (Brett), Cody Stoner (Mia), Courtney Watts Willingham (Dalton), Kevin Beckner (Laikyn), Taletha Fisher (Taylor), Angela Stewart (Clark), Truitt McCulley, Charissa Givens (James), Kayla Watts, Christopher Watts (Emily), Lisa Hood, Meredith Watts Lea (Anthony); and her 24 great grandchildren; four great-great grandchildren; and one great grandchild on the way.

In addition to her parents and husband, Ernestine was preceded in death by a brother Robert Eugene “Bob” Warren.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM, Thursday, June 18, 2026, at Miles Funeral Service. Interment will follow at Oxford Cemetery. A visitation is scheduled at the funeral home Wednesday from 4 to 8 PM. The family will greet visitors from 6 to 8 that evening.

Memorials have been established in Ernestine’s name for Cumbernauld Village and for Quilts of Valor Foundation. Contributions may be made through the funeral home.