Mr. James M. Waters, age 68, resident of Shenandoah Drive in Columbia, passed away on Sunday, June 28, at Maury Regional Medical Center.
Funeral services for Mr. Waters will be conducted Wednesday at 2:00 P.M. in the chapel of Williams Funeral Home in Columbia with Mike Bryan officiating. Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens.
The family will visit with friends on Tuesday from 4:00 - 8:00 P.M. at the funeral home.
Born on August 12, 1940 in Cullman, AL, James was the son of the late Robert Waters and Clara E. Hyatt Fleming. He was the husband of Edna Webb Waters whom he married on July 8, 1962. Before becoming disabled James had worked as a machine operator for Conalco and as a forklift operator for NuCote Manufacturing. James was an avid fisherman and loved spending time at the river raising his son and grandchildren. He was of the Baptist Faith.
One of James' greatest desires was to be able to attend a Tennessee Titans football game, but his health prohibited him from being able to do so. His wife, Edna, worked with the father of one of the Titans players and she shared this story with him. The man in turn shared James' story with his son who then began to tell his teammates about James. Over a period of the next three months, a football was signed by all of the Titans players at that time, including Eddie George and Steve McNair, with the first signature being that of Coach Jeff Fisher. The football was presented to James the following Christmas and became one of his most treasured possessions.
In addition to his wife, survivors include his son: Jimmy Raquel Waters of Columbia; one brother: John Audrey Fleming of Lobelville; two sisters: Helen Lloyd Mattern of La Vernea, TX and Evelyn Spears of Indianapolis, IN; one step-sister: Mickey Mike Musahi of Hawaii; grandchildren: Michael D'Anne Waters, Caitlin Waters and Payton Waters, all of Columbia and several nieces and nephews. James was also raised by a special "dad", John Fleming, who preceded him in death along with two brothers: Wesley Holmes and Gordon Holmes and two step-brothers: Filmore Fleming and Cole Fleming.
Pallbearers will be Michael Waters, Lee Fleming, Kenneth Gowan, Nelson Webb, Steve Webb, Ronnie Pollock, Billy Gowan and Jimmy Daniels. Honorary pallbearers will be Kirk Susan Lafferty, Todd Jones, Jimmy Gerrie Rainwater, Joe Sally Bassett, H.R. Peggy Blurton, Ricky Miller, Ray Hiller, Johnny Christine Webb, Rick Lisa Woodard, Dr. Thomas Dake, and the employees of the Garden Center at Wal-Mart.