Cover photo for William F. (Bill) Waters's Obituary
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William

William F. (Bill) Waters

William F. (Bill) Waters

passed away September 22, 2019 in Chandler, Arizona after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

A memorial service will be held in the chapel at Sun Lakes United Methodist Church, Sun Lakes, Arizona, on Saturday, September 28, at 1:30 p.m. Bueler Mortuary, Chandler, is handling arrangements.

Bill was born to Leo and Dorothy Wells Waters in 1944 in Anniston, Alabama, while his father was in the U.S. Army. The family later moved back to Rock Island, Illinois, where Bill grew up. He graduated from Rock Island High School and Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois and served in the U.S. Army for seven years.

While in college, Bill earned his private pilot’s license and loved flying. In 1970, he met Judy (Earle) Withrow, who worked at Moline’s Quad City Airport, and they were married in 1971. They raised their three children, Stephanie, Jeff, and Julie, in Moline. Bill and his father owned and operated Waters Construction Company. He was a long-time, active member of First Covenant Church, Moline, Rock Island Rotary Club, and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

In addition to flying, his spare-time favorites were photography and boating on the Mississippi River and at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. He was an award-winning photographer and judge for several camera clubs. He never missed his children’s athletic or school events and was never saw a dog or cat that he didn’t like.

Bill fell in love with Arizona while in the Army stationed at Ft. Huachuca, and he and Judy moved to Chandler in 1988, where he worked for the Earnhardt Auto Centers for the next 24 years, as Risk Manager for his last ten, retiring in May 2012. He and a neighbor rode motorcycles in the mountains on Saturdays. He was an Arizona Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks fan and often attended games.

Surviving this kind man of many talents are his wife of 48 years, daughters and sons-in-law, Stephanie and Ron Byland, Austin, TX and Julie and Mark Martinez, Mesa, AZ; and a son and daughter-in-law, Jeff and Kim-Thanh Waters, Boca Raton, FL. There are 9 grandchildren of whom Bill was extremely proud: Katie, Drew, and Jeff Byland; Ryan, Nathan, and Matt Martinez; and Morgan, Zachary, and Cody Waters.

Also honoring his memory are a sister and brother-in-law, Dr. Barbara and Paul N. Pitz, Bettendorf, Iowa, and additional extended family including many nieces and nephews as well as great nieces and great nephews.

Those wishing to make a donation in Bill’s memory are asked to consider any charity working toward a cure for Alzheimer’s disease or Sun Lakes United Methodist Church, 9248 E. Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, AZ 85248.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William F. (Bill) Waters, please visit our flower store.

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