John Waters

JOHN JOSEPH WATERS
John Waters, a long time resident of Atlantic, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, February 7, 2012, at the Heritage House in Atlantic at the age of 89.
John Joseph Waters was born in Atlantic, Iowa on December 4, 1922 to Edward and Zelia Phares Waters. He attended Jackson grade school and graduated from Atlantic High School in 1942. While in high school he washed cars and carried telegrams for Western Union.
In the summer of 1942 he lived with his aunt and uncle Ray and Faye Phares in Omaha and worked at Mead, Nebraska building a shell loading plant. In the fall of 1942 he attended Creighton University in Omaha, NE. In 1942 he enlisted in the U. S. Army Reserves while at Creighton University and was called to active duty in March of 1943. He took Basic Training at Camp Roberts in California. He was then sent to Hawaii and assigned to the censorship department of the Army. His first assignment was to Canton Island. He returned to Hawaii until December of 1945, then he was discharged from the army at Camp Carson Colorado near Denver. He returned to Atlantic and worked at several jobs including a service station and the post office as a substitute clerk, mail carrier, and janitor. He was also a home appliance salesman at the Sears & Roebuck store and employed at Baldwin Electric Shop as a salesman.
On December 28, 1948 he married Martha Irene Shifflett and to the marriage, their children Michael and Teresa were born. In January of 1950 John started his own insurance business known as John Waters Insurance and in 1957 he bought the Berg Insurance Agency. On October 1, 1970 he merged his insurance business with Bill Price and named the firm Price and Waters Insurance. In 1986 the business was sold to Paul Price and Ken Christensen when Bill and John retired.
John was an active member at the St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church serving as an usher. John also was a member of the Atlantic Lions Club joining the club in 1959. He served on numerous committees and fundraisers including the pancake supper, Jaws of Life, and Lions Club Christmas Trees sales and mint sales. He was named “Lion of the Year” in 1977 and received several other outstanding awards. He was an active member of the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce and helped with the Atlantic Sees Iowa First trip to eastern Iowa. He was co-chairman for Children’s Day and enjoyed a trip to San Antonio, Texas on the “Sell-See Iowa Caravan” and had other volunteer jobs for the Chamber. John’s hobbies included eating out with friends, fishing, golfing, gardening, mowing, playing pool and playing bingo at Heritage House. He enjoyed time spent with friends and family and especially enjoyed time with his grandchildren and watching them grow up.
John spent the past two years at Heritage House Health Care Center under the wonderful care of our “extended family” of staff members whose compassion and love John's family is grateful.
John is survived by his wife Martha; son Michael E. Waters of Omaha, daughter Teresa and son-in-law Carey Noland of Adair; grandchildren, Sarah Noland of Des Moines, Andrew Noland and fiancé Daniella Ruby of Greenfield and Matthew Noland of Adair.
There will be an open visitation at the Roland Funeral Home on Thursday, February 9, from 8:00am until 6:00pm. At 6:00pm there will be a scriptural wake service with a visitation with the family to follow from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. Services for John will be held on Friday, February 10, at 10:30am in the SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Atlantic, Iowa. Father Dan Siepker and Monsignor Lawrence Beeson will officiate at the service.
Committal will be in the SS Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery in Atlantic.
The Roland Funeral Home is caring for John's family and his arrangements. Condolences for the family may be left on their website at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.