Thomas Waters Jr.

Thomas Gross Waters Jr., 79, loving husband, beloved father and cherished grandfather, of North Anderson Street, Morganton, passed away at his home on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. He was born in Savannah, Ga., on Dec. 17, 1929, to the late Thomas Gross Waters Sr. and Nell Farr Waters. When Gross was an infant, his father was crippled in a railroad accident at the age of 23, so Gross, the ever-doting and attentive son, was always his father's legs. As a young boy, he worked 12 hours each night in Henry Gaston's Ice Plant along with delivering The News Herald, and later worked on the truck that delivered ice across Western Burke County. Even earlier, he bought groceries, sold chances on punchboards and did chores for neighbors to help support his family. Gross attended Morganton City Schools and at the age of 17, joined the U.S. Naval Air Force where he served for three years in Olathe, Kan., as an airman apprentice. An honorable discharge from the Navy led him back to Morganton and then to third shift work at Huffman Mills for eight years which was work he truly enjoyed. Gross met his sweetheart, Martha, in seventh grade and they married on Dec. 29, 1949. This year marks their 60th year together. In 1958, at the urging of his father-in-law, R.L. Patton, he entered Lenoir-Rhyne College and received a BS degree in economics, completing the four-year program in just 2 1/2 years. He began his career with Burlington Mills as a cost accountant, then spent the next five years continuing his education in New York and Atlanta while working with Alba Waldensian as a computer programmer and systems analyst, all at a time when computers were in their infancy. Even though many business opportunities presented themselves over the years, Gross and Martha chose to stay close to home, put family before financial gain and looked after their aging parents. Gross continued working in the textile industry with Wamsutta Mills, D.H.J. and Delta Woodside. He retired in 1993 but his love of numbers never waned as Suduko became a favorite pastime and he continued to prepare taxes for many people. After retirement, Gross spent much of his time at his son, Tommy's, body shop, tending his father's grapevines, e-mailing friends and family and following his beloved Yankees ... a lifelong passion. Along with the N.Y. Yankees, Boston Celtics and L.A. Raiders, grocery shopping was also a "sport" he enjoyed, searching every store in town on Saturday morning to find the best value for anything Martha or his grandchildren might enjoy. He was always available to run errands or provide transportation to anyone in need, especially his son, Joe, who had many late night flights. Gross, at a moments notice, would dash off to Charlotte or Greenville to pick him up. In addition to his adoring wife, Martha Patton Waters, he is survived by three children; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren, Thomas Gross "Tommy" Waters III and his wife, Marylin, of Morganton and their children, Tabatha Probst and her fiancé, Robert "Sport" Beyers, of Jacksonville, Fla., David Probst and his wife, Amy, of Crestview, Fla., Matthew Waters and his wife, Katie, of Charlotte, Mandi "Shell Bell" and Megan Waters, Nicholas "Bubba" and Sarah Michaela "Baby" Evitt, all of Morganton; Ruth Elizabeth Waters of Knoxville, Tenn.; Joseph David "Joe" Waters and his wife, Kirsten, and their children, Savannah, Joey, Abby and Henry Waters, all of Morganton; and great- grandchildren, Brendan and Landon Probst and Caroline Beyers ... TSOM ... In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Gladys Phillips of Savannah Ga.; and a granddaughter, Ashley McCurry of Morganton. A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Monday at The First Baptist Church, Morganton with Dr. Thomas A. Bland Jr. officiating. The family will receive friends in the church parlor for one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to The First Baptist Church, PO Box 459, Morganton, NC 28680-0459, Burke Mission Station, PO Box 642, Morganton, NC 28680-0642 or to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., who guided the family on his journey home, 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690.