Al Watlet, 72, of Newport News, passed away on May 31, 2012. He was married to Betty for 50 years and together they had three children, 9 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

He was born May 19, 1940, the oldest of eight children born to Albert and Margaret (Bulls) Watlet.

He was a graduate of Hampton High School and the Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School.

He retired in 2010 from Northrop Grumman Newport News as a Nuclear Overhall Design Supervisor.

He was an avid bowler for 55 years. Working as general manager of Port St. Lucie Lanes, Fla. from 1979 to 1982, he then returned to Virginia and was asked to serve on the Hampton Roads Bowling Association Board of Directors in 1986. He served as president of the association from 1989 to 1991. He served as secretary/treasurer of the Hampton Roads B.A. from 1995 until 2006 when it became the Hampton Roads USBC BA. He served as association manager of that organization until 2010 when the three associations in the area merged into the Virginia Peninsula USBC where he continued as the association manager until his death. He was voted Man of the Year for the Hampton Roads B.A. in 1990, Life Member of that association in 1991, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2000.

Al served as President of the Virginia State Bowling Association from 1994 to 1995. He was elected as a Life Member in 1995 and to the Virginia State Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 1998.

His highest game rolled was a 284 and his highest series was a 698.

A quote he will be remembered for is: “Over the years, as General Manager of a center, and as a director of both the State and Local Associations, I have had the opportunity to meet thousands of bowlers. The bowlers support many charitable organizations, donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to Veteran’s Hospitals throughout the country, support scholarship funds for the youth, and are usually actively involved in the local communities. Bowlers are the greatest people I’ve ever known.”