To the editor:

I wish to thank the city of Lawrence and its citizens for the lasting tribute to my father, Buford Watson Jr., former city manager of Lawrence. Thank you for the honor of his sculpture in Watson Park. To have named the park for him in the first place was indeed humbling, but the continued honors after these many years are appreciated.

Fourteen years have gone by since his death, but the esteem that Lawrence holds my father in continues to amaze me. I want to publicly thank the city of Lawrence, Mayor David Dunfield, City Manager Mike Wildgen and the wonderful parks department under Fred DeVictor. It was great to see so many friends of the family, former city council members and co-workers of my father at the sculpture dedication.

As a second-generation city manager, I have lived in many places, but when a community honors its residents and leaders as Lawrence has done my father, it will truly continue to have that dynamic sense of community and always be known as a place to call home.

Mark S. Watson,

Temple, Texas