In Memoriam: Nell Hodgson Watt

Nell Hodgson Watt, or “Little Nell” as many knew her, passed away on May 26, 2021, at the age of 94 following a ten-day battle with pneumonia and complications.

Watt leaves a legacy of faith and love. She shared so many stories and fond memories of her aunt, Nell Hodgson Woodruff, whom she called “Nana.” We will always honor and appreciate her long-time devotion and friendship to the Emory School of Nursing.

Watt volunteered with The Associates and, following her aunt’s death in 1968, presented the annual Silver Bowl Award on behalf of the Nurses Alumni Association to the nursing graduate with the most outstanding clinical and scholastic abilities. The idea for the award (first presented in 1949) was Woodruff's, who once said, “Each girl who graduates accomplishes for me my life’s ambition.” Also in honor of her aunt, Watt continued hosting teas for new nursing graduates at the Woodruff Atlanta home on Tuxedo Road. The event was a predecessor to the Woodruff Tea now held at the School of Nursing each May.

When Watt’s three children were young—including a daughter also nicknamed Little Nell—she followed in her aunt’s footsteps by dedicating herself to community service. She served on the Fulton County board and state board of the American Cancer Society and as president of Women of the Church at First Presbyterian Church. She also addressed the national convention for Easter Seals and chaired the Women of the Year celebration for Atlanta.

Watt spoke on occasion at the nursing school, such as the dedication of the current School of Nursing building in 2001, and was active in Women Alone Together (a group for widowed, divorced, and single women) and at Westminster Presbyterian Church. She published Heart Whispers, a devotional book of prayers and lighthearted lessons about God. “I’m just thrilled because I’ve always wanted to be a Christian writer,” she said. She published two more Christian children’s books just prior to her death.

Watt found joy in watching the School of Nursing flourish, as her aunt intended. “I’m sure Nana’s spirit is hovering over the school. She is so proud of those students, and so am I,” she said.