Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

December 29, 2021

CHARLOTTE – William “Bill” Wescot Waters, husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of Tuesday, December 29, 2021, with his family by his side.  He had suffered complications from cancer surgery.  Bill was born July 18, 1941, in Beaufort, SC, son of the late Charles Alexander Waters and Mallie Matheny Waters.

During his early childhood, his father aided in constructing buildings on military bases causing the family to live in various states during the war years.  In 1947, they returned to Forest City, NC, where he and his four siblings grew up among their large extended family.

In 1957, the family relocated to Charlotte and started Waters Construction Company.  Bill and his father began building homes in the Charlotte area soon after he graduated from West Mecklenburg High School.  They bought a lot and Bill told his father that he thought they could put two houses on that lot.  They did just that, and a long career in construction began.  Over the course of the next half century, Bill would go on to build thousands of homes in the Charlotte region.  When he was not building houses, he was picking stocks.  He invested in a new stock each and every, Friday.  Bill also served on the Board of Directors for First Charter National Bank for several years which lead up to the bank’s merger with Fifth Third Bank. 

He and Lill were married for 30 years until her passing on December 2, 1998. This was a tragic loss for the family, but they had many great memories.  Bill and Lill would always make time to attend their children’s swim meets, soccer and softball games.  However, snow skiing was the family sport, and he took the family skiing all over the world.  When not skiing, the family would spend time at their homes at the lake and beach.  After Lill’s passing, he continued to work daily and traveled the United States watching his daughter compete in triathlons.  

His relationship with wife, Jo began the following year and she quickly became part of the family.  She became a friend to his children and grandmother to his eight grandchildren along the way.  For the last few years, she was the best caretaker he could have ever had.  They were able to spend 22 great years together splitting their time between their home in Juno Beach and Charlotte.  Bill loved going to Juno where he would say that the biggest decision of his day was whether to walk down the beach and back along the road, or down the road and back along the beach.

When in Charlotte, they loved to attend the grandchildren’s many school and sporting events.  He looked forward to Sunday night family dinners with his children and grandchildren.  Bill and Jo’s favorite dinner date was at one of their special places, the patio at Quail Hollow Club.  He kept a standing reservation for 7 PM, telling them that if he did not show up by 9 to let someone else have it.

Bill always said Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church was his church home, he grew up going there with his family and his father helped construct the original sanctuary.  When in Charlotte he would attend Myers Park United Methodist Church and while in Juno Beach he attended Oceanview United Methodist Church.

Bill had a tight knit group of lifelong friends.  Some of his best friends were people he met when he sold them a house. They were not just customers, they were friends.  He always had a story to tell and a great demeanor.  Three weeks before his passing, he and Jo were still out collecting rent from tenants, checking up on his son’s construction sites and giving out advice whether it was wanted or not.  Bill will be missed by all that were lucky enough to know him.

Eighty Years. Bill had a life well lived. 

Surviving are his wife, Jo; children, Wes Waters and his wife, Anjie, Charles Waters, Cutchin Wiley and her husband, Greg; grandchildren, Caitlyn, Mary Holland, Mallie, Lily, Charlie, Mae Louise, Speight and Howell.  He is also survived by his sisters, Louise Waters, Joyce Thomas, and many nieces, nephews, cousins.  Bill was predeceased by his siblings, Mary Ann Waters and John Charles Waters.

A graveside service will be held 2:00 PM on Saturday, January 22, 2022 at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church Cemetery in Forest City, NC with Rev. Nancy Watson of Myers Park United Methodist Church officiating.  A celebration of life will be held in Charlotte at a later date when the Covid numbers decline.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be offered in memory of Bill to Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, 397 Mt. Pleasant Church Road, Forest City, NC 28043.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.