Dr Kerry Brendan Watson
07/02/1951 ~ 08/01/2022
The Funeral Service to Celebrate the Life of Dr Kerry Brendan Watson
will be held in the Chapel of Repose, Altona Memorial Park
on Tuesday January 18th 2022, commencing at 10.15 am.
To watch the live streaming of Kerry’s service, please visit
https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/authorise.php?k=1641719756809922
Private Cremation
15 Tributes
Nirvair Kaur de Ruiter
Dear Watson family
Only some days ago I wrote Kerry a message in regards to the papers he send me regularly…am truly shocked and sad to learn about his passing.
I know Kerry has gone to a place of deep silence and peace…his beautiful heart, his wisdom and soulful joy will be missed.
Love and comfort to all his loved ones…
🙏🙏🙏
Pamela Moore
Dear Anna and family
Kerry was an amazing man, we are so sorry for your and the Chinese medicine community’s loss.
I considered him my mentor and friend. Kerry aided in the setting up of the acupuncture program at Michener Institute in Toronto. I had the honour and pleasure of meeting him in 1997. The director of the program invited me to join Kerry and her for dinner with her husband and a colleague of his. Kerry and I were of an age and were vegetarians amongst meat eaters… This was a pivotal moment in my life as I was privileged to get to know Kerry a bit better and to establish an enduring connection that has supported me through my Chinese medicine career. Rob and I joined up with you, Anna, and Kerry in TO at another time and I was so happy to meet you and for Rob to meet Kerry.
Kerry said to me in the very beginning (being aware of my nursing background and western medical leaning mind set at the time) “you are going to have some very unbelievable events practicing Chinese medicine, be prepared and welcome them – don’t let them scare you off, they are real”. His words have been repeated to many of my clients in the past 25 years. Thank you Kerry from my heart for forever impacting so many peoples’ lives for the better.
Rob and I wish you, Anna and Asia and your family strength and love.
Fiona D’Elboux
There are no words to describe the clear insight and deep wisdom Kerry often conveyed through his eyes. I was fortunate to be a student of his and I still hold that clear gaze in my heart as I remember him now. It is a gaze of no separation. He obviously lived the Tao authentically. May his sense of non separation continue.
Chunlin Zhou and Yadong Chen
Dear Watson Family
We are so shocked and saddened by this news about Kerry. Before the most recent Christmas, Chunlin was emailing him about one of his insightful articles; as usual, he replied to my email very nicely and promptly, in December 2021.
We fortunately got to know Kerry in 1986, when Kerry offered a job to Chunlin, lecturing TCM in the Melbourne Acupuncture College. Since then Kerry had become a close friend to all of our family and a mentor in TCM to Chunlin. Also all Watson family have become our family friends.
Kerry has made tremendous, milestone contributions to the footing, developing and expanding of TCM in Australia. He dedicated almost all his energy and wisdom to TCM profession. His pass away is a big loss to the TCM community in Australia and elsewhere around the world.
Kerry was a man of integrity, passion and golden heart. He had helped many people whole-heartedly throughout his life time.
Although Yadong has been working in very different fields rather than TCM, he always regards Kerry as his close friend; every time he met or communicated with Kerry, he felt happy and encouraged.
Kerry has not left us, and he will be living in our mind forever. RIP dear Kerry.
Chunlin, Yadong and Family
Cynthia cowling
Dear Anna and family,
It was with great sadness that I read of Kerry’s passing. He made an indelible impression on me and the Michener community when he joined us in Toronto to design an acupuncture program that produced many happy and successful graduates, including my son Andrew. His passion for complementary medicine imbued us all with that same love of patient caring and love for Chinese medicine. When I moved to Melbourne it was wonderful to reconnect with him and Anna. I am only sorry that time and pandemics prevented recent get together. I know I speak for many of the graduates that Kerry himself and the program he developed, shaped their life and careers for many years.
I am sure his gentle and loving soul has found rest and I wish Anna and the family condolences and peace in their grief
Chris Zaslawski
It is with much sadness I say goodbye to my friend and colleague, Dr Kerry Watson. I had known Kerry for almost 35 years, first becoming aware of him as at lecturer in Acupuncture Colleges (Melbourne), the sister college to where I first trained in acupuncture in Sydney. Over time I met him many times (despite him being located in Melbourne) and we had continued communicating even up to the week of his death. In 1990 Kerry was instrumental in influencing the development of the NHMRC Report on the Role & Requirements for Acupuncture Education. The report stated that acupuncture was a primary health care modality, that acupuncturists are prime contact therapists, that also acupuncture education should be offered in the university sector and that the registration of qualified traditional acupuncturists should be expedited. This eventually resulted in 1992-3, with a bachelor’s degree program in acupuncture commencing at the Victoria University of Technology in Melbourne, of which Kerry was appointed as the Course Director. He was to remain in this role until his retirement where he mentored many a student and developed relationships that would last his entire lifetime.
More recently he had been appointed as the vice President of the Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association (AACMA), a position where he continued to influence the direction of the profession and contribute in a more official sense.
Most of you know that Kerry was very passionate about Asian culture, especially Taoism, Buddhism, Chinese medicine and acupuncture and the intersection of them all. Travelling widely across Asia and especially in Kyoto Japan, he absorbed them all and came up with his own unique perspective which he practiced on a daily basis. More recently he had commenced writing a book on this topic and he sent me several chapters for me to read. But more importantly he embodied his beliefs and this was evident in the way he lived his life and developed his relationships to his wide circle of friends and colleagues.
Not only will his contribution to acupuncture and Chinese medicine in Australia never be forgotten, but he will be remembered as a leader, thinker and a true gentleman. I am sure he is deep discussion with Lao Tzu and the bodhisattvas in the Pure Land. Rest in Peace my friend.
Adjunct Associate Professor Chris Zaslawski
Assoc. Prof. Clive Beaumont Kings
Dear Anna and family,
It is with sadness that I learned of Kerry’s passing. I first met Kerry many moons ago when I went for treatment. He was not only an excellent practicioner but was very helpful in counselling me on some personal problems. We became great friends and he encouraged me to run some teaching worshops for staff in Melbourne and in Sydney. They were always very enjoyable occasions. Furthermore, Kerry also asked me to run some interpersonal skills and research methods courses for the students.
I was later honoured to to be asked to Chair the Australian Council for Acupuncture and Chinese Medical Education set up to transfer the courses from the Private Colleges into the Universities (1990-92) and with Kerry’s contacts and astute guidance this was successfully achieved. He also invited me to be a second Ph.D, examiner for a number of people. Kerry had the ability to make learning enjoyable for students and he was ever keen to improve assessment of the courses and to focus on higher level skills.
I pray for God’s support for Anna and family and Asia (also Wendy) in this time of grief. Kerry’s life is well worth celebrating!
Associate Professor Clive Kings (cbkings@bigpond.com, 0412932021)
Ziggie & Jenny
You will always be a dear friend and will never be forgotten.
We will always hold dear to our hearts time spent with you and Anna in Paris and Amsterdam. Paris visiting the Moulin Rouge and the Eiffel Tower and in the Netherlands the local sites and Amsterdam where some 66 year old hippies tried to relive their past glories. Lucky to remember that part. Great times. RIP Kerry
Vincent Di Stefano
The wave rose strong and true
The wave returned to the sea
Vale Kerry
Sharon Camm
Dear Anna and family, I am saddened that Kerry has left you so early. I have known the both of you for just under 10 years and in that time Neville and I enjoyed some lovely experiences with you both in the city and out to dinner together, the last one during your anniversary and visit to Cowes. Neville of course has known Kerry from childhood and always had such admiration for him. Kerry will always be in our thoughts and we certainly feel privileged to have known him. You know also that we are here for you.
CAMERON James ROGERS
Anna, Asia, family and friends,
I have been fortunate to share a paths with some special people in this world, Kerry was one of those rare individuals that could see the path they walked with true courage.
Our paths though taking us physically apart over the years, in both space and time, we were never really distant. Talking to Kerry recently after years of not speaking, the time past had little meaning, we both knew though circumstance had kept us apart, the universe kept us in “contact”, more communication is unspoken than spoken and transcends time and space.
Kerry may have taken on a new adventure, that adventure that we all one day will take. He was always too precious for this world, his physical presence was a gift to all who’s life Kerry touched.
Kerry may not be “here” physically though he is still “here”, and he will never truly be “gone”, he is still with us for all time, for he is part of all things, and is now no longer bound by physical constraints. He has become a master of the dao.
Don’t feel too impressed by Kerry’s new position either as a true dao master, until you see the job description that Carole has ready for him! I have a feeling he won’t “rest in peace” so to speak, he has much to do, his adventure has only really just begun!
Kerry faced the unknown and walked his path with courage that most lack, saw what most feared and walked towards it. There was no challenge that Kerry wouldn’t face with the full force of his will and spirit and in so doing achieved much in this life that others would have thought impossible. When it comes to Kerry the rules and limitations did not apply, he understood what is and isn’t possible isn’t bound by the rules of man.
Kerry’s measure of success was always how much he could help those around him that he cared for. Even at the end, Kerry’s thoughts were how he could help others, he set off from this world with grace and courage with his friends and family kept dear in his heart I am sure he wants more than anything for everyone he cared about to have joy, something hard when we would have loved to have him stay longer, but he had important things to do. Though if you get pranked in some impossible way, know there are cosmic forces at work and they have a sense of humour.
Kerry may not be here but he is not gone,
Cam
Bill Sakellaris
I was shocked and deeply saddened at the untimely passing of Kerry. I greatly appreciated his attentive listening and ready willingness to generously share his knowledge with me over the years.
My sincere condolences to the family and loved ones.
Simon & Vanessa
Our thoughts are with you all today.
Such a beautiful send off & we were very humbled to be part of it.
Kerry was such a kind and gentle soul. He will be missed greatly be everyone that knew him.
Marilyn Copeland
I was very shocked and saddened to hear of Kerry’s passing. I met Kerry through my late husband Maurice Copeland who was also a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Kerry and Wendy became friends and were a great support to me after Maurice died (2002) . I have many fond memories of time spent with them in their hills home, so full of character that reflected their Asian travels, their interest in Buddhism and their love of good vegetarian food. Asia and my youngest daughter Erin, were little playmates as small children. Kerry was a great listener, very present and caring and always there on the other end of the phone with compassion and support when I needed it. My deepest sympathies to Anna, Asia and all Kerry’s family and friends. A great loss to you all. May the good memories be like bright stars in the night sky.
CAMERON James ROGERS
Hi Marilyn,
I am sorry to hear of Maurice’s passing. Since I left the profession I have been a bit isolated in my mountain cave so to speak, and hadn’t heard.
Maurice was a good man, I have fond memories of him from the early days.
Maurice, Kerry and Carole may no longer be where we can easily find them, but they are here all the same. I actually thought about Maurice the other day. When I knew him, I was young and tended to party a little too much. Maurice gave me wise advice at the time which I still heed to this day when I am “trying to look after myself” and not just others. I will always be grateful to him for that.
Cheers,
Cam