doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Rip Watson "The Case Man" - Rest In Peace

Many of you here know John "Rip" Watson (aka "The Case Man"). Unfortunately, he passed away this Monday in Lexington, Kentucky. I first met Rip several years ago as a contractor working on his home and we've been friend ever since. He was often seen at gun shows around the country selling his cases and accessories. I enjoyed tagging along and helping him out on a few shows. He later joined my quail lease and we enjoyed many hunts together shooting bobwhites with fine guns.

He'll be missed. RIP Rip.


His obituary....




John William "Rip" Watson

March 10, 1947 - August 31, 2015
Lexington, Kentucky

John William "Rip" Watson, 68, died Monday, August 31, 2015 at Richmond Place. He was born March 10, 1947 in Miami, Florida to Warren and Bernadine Lauderdale Watson.

Rip loved deer hunting, fishing and bird hunting. He was an avid reader of sports and loved to travel.

He is survived by his son, Richard (Nancy) Watson; daughter, Lora (Brad) Tressler; three grandchildren, Gareth Graves, Wyatt Watson and Mikayla Watson and three brothers, Harold Watson, Duane Watson and Thomas (Deana) Watson.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Warren and Bernadine Watson.
Funeral Information

Celebration of life will be held at 12pm, Saturday, October 3, 2015 at Fish Eating Creek Campground in Palmdale, Florida. Please email John.rip.watson@gmail.com if you plan to attend.






Here a few pics from hunts at our lease in Southwest Georgia.

Rip with his 1st bird of the season shot with his English Griffin & Howe 2" gun.


A walk in the longleaf pines and wiregrass


Rip walking up a covey pointed by my britt, Rusty.


Inspecting the game


Taking a break in the shade.

Rip will be sorely missed. I always enjoyed visiting with him at the Tulsa show. He was a gentleman and always bubbling with enthusiasm.

Rest in peace, Rip. I used to see Rip at the Louisville gun show. I enjoyed talking to him. He had some neat things and loved double guns. I remember he had a pair of SLE Watson guns with 25" barrels. He really loved those guns and said they were real quail killers. He showed them to me. They were very high quality, and beautiful guns.

Nice chap, very affable, he bought a couple of guns from me over the years, Loved Quail hunting , and talking about it.....

My condolences to his family.

At 68 he left us far too early.

My condolences to his family.

I received the call from his son Monday afternoon. I had been expecting this call for awhile. I met Rip several years ago at the Southern Side by Side and instantly became friends. I would talk to him weekly. Over the years we became very good friends.
Michael McIntosh once wrote that "God Almighty shot a Purdey hammer gun" so I bet Rip is up there trying to sell God a set of Purdey snap caps.
Rest in peace old friend.

What was the cause of death? I recently finished a video for a pancreatic cancer research foundation which did brief bios on three people all of about that age. When you say you'd been expecting the call for a while, that says to me it was protracted illness rather than something sudden like a heart attack or stroke. I'm sorry to hear of his passing. 68 is much too young.