Stephen Monroe Waters, Jr.

Mr. Stephen Monroe Waters, Jr., age 87, of Blackshear passed away late Tuesday night (5/31/22) at Harborview Pierce following an extended illness. 

Born February 13, 1935 in Waycross, he was a son of the late Stephen Monroe Waters, Sr. and Mildred Walker Waters. His family moved to Pierce County when he was a young child and graduated from Blackshear High School in 1953 where he excelled in football and baseball and was voted Best All-Around Senior Superlative. He joined the United States Army and graduated from Georgia Military College, playing baseball while enrolled. He then attended Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, graduated with his Bachelor of Business Administration degree. At UGA, he was a member of Sigma Pi Fraternity.  

Returning to Blackshear, he worked at his family’s business, Waters Ford Company, and retired as the longtime President in 2000.  

An active member of his community, he was a former member and President of the Blackshear Rotary Club, former member and President of the Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, former member of the Blackshear Jaycee’s, former Chairman of the Pierce County Hospital and Nursing Home Board for 28 years, and a former member of the Satilla Regional Hospital Board for 28 years with 15 years as the treasurer. 

Active in his church, he was a faithful longtime member of First Baptist Church in Blackshear. He was a dedicated deacon for 43 years and was the oldest living deacon until his passing, former church treasurer for 35 years, attended the Men’s Fellowship Sunday School Class, member of the Adult Choir, served on the JOY Group Committee, attended the Men’s Ministry events, and was a former Junior Boys Sunday School Teacher, Youth Boys Sunday School Teacher, First Baptist Boys Baseball Coach, Leader with the Royal Ambassadors (RA’s), and had played quite a few seasons with the Rec Department Church Softball Team. 

An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing. For most of his life, he was a member of the Pierce County Hunting Club and also was a member of the former Sandy Bottom Hunting Club in Camden County and Wayne County.  He enjoyed running his deer dogs for more than 75 years and fishing in the Satilla River, area ponds, and inshore fishing.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by 3 sisters and a brother-in-law, Marian Walker Waters, Marjorie Waters and Howard Leiter, and Mildred Jean “Milly” Waters; his brother and sister-in-law, James Milton Waters, Sr. and Linda Waters; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Andrew Lee and Dorothy M. Clough; and a brother-in-law, Walter Wayne Clough. 

Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Marilyn Clough Waters of Blackshear; 3 children, Stephanie Waters Fatula (Mike) of Lake Lanier, S.C., Melanie Waters of Marietta, and Stephen Waters III (Wade Griffin) of Jacksonville, FL; 2 grandchildren, Joey Lee, Jr. (Ciara) of Patterson and Mari Claire Sikes of Marietta; 1 great grandchild, Ramsey Lee of Patterson; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Andy and Shirley Clough of Blackshear; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and other relatives and friends.

A memorial service will take place on Friday afternoon (6/3/22) at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Blackshear with Dr. Justin Gambrell, Dr. Bill Young, and Rev. Eric Rentz officiating.

The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to the service and immediately following the service.

The family requests all current and former deacons of First Baptist Church in Blackshear, former employees of Waters Ford, former members of the Sandy Bottom Hunting Club, members of the Pierce County Hunting Club, classmates with the Blackshear High School Class of 1953, Billy Stafford, Harold and Mary Rozier, Blair and Vickie Vincent, Robert Landrum, Cindy Bacon Norwood, Vanessa Mobley, Kevin and Kim Walker, Mary Thompson, Hugh Thompson, Isaac Moses, Sr., Isaac Moses, Jr., Randy Bennett, and Mary Ella Bennett to serve as honorary pallbearers. Please be at the church by 1:45 p.m. on Friday.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Briarwood Baptist Church, P.O. Box 363, Blackshear, Georgia 31516.

Sympathy may be expressed by signing online at www.hartfh.com.

Hart Funeral Home of Blackshear is in charge of arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Stephen Monroe Waters, Jr., please visit our floral store.