Patricia Margaret Waters

CARBONDALE - Patricia Margaret Waters (née Gannon) passed away peacefully on April 2, 2025, in Dallas, Texas (formerly of Carbondale, Illinois) surrounded by her children.

Pat was born in Maquoketa, Iowa on Jan. 30, 1932, to Marilla Ann (née Kimball) and Michael Patrick Gannon and reared on the family farm outside of Delmar, Iowa, alongside other aunts, uncles and cousins on their farms. She began school in a one-room schoolhouse near Petersville and graduated from Delwood (Iowa) High School in 1949. Despite being only 5'2' on a good day, she played Iowa women's 3-on-3 basketball and was quite a good shot!

She loved to travel to Chicago with her parents to visit Uncle Bill and Aunt Catherine and show her prized cows at 4-H shows. Admittedly, she also loved Chicago for the department stores, Marshall Field's and Carson, Pirie, Scott and Co., (you know where this is going) ... where she developed her love of shopping and honed her skill at finding "bargains."

She attended Mount Saint Clare College in Clinton, Iowa, and finished her college education at Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa, graduating with a B.A. in education. At Marycrest, the nuns ran a tight ship and taught the curriculum as well as 'finishing' such as, table manners, proper dress on campus (always a skirt and stockings, never pants), always cutting your hamburger in half and eating your ice cream bar with a knife and fork (no lie). The nuns also taught proper composition of a thank-you note (prompt and neatly written). Secretly, the nuns knew they were educating the next generation of mothers and that humanity would be better off if their children understood the role of manners and gratefulness. She met lifelong friends at Marycrest, and they periodically regrouped just to laugh about old times and visit about their families. They always stayed up to date via Christmas Card letters.

As a college graduation gift, she and a friend embarked on a trip to Europe on the SS Andrea Doria, the luxurious Italian cruise ship. (It later tragically sank after colliding with a Swedish liner, much to Pat's shock and chagrin, and she thankfully wasn't onboard.) When we were children, she would show us her European photos, on a slide projector, including Biarritz beach photos, which amazed us that not only was Mom in a super cute swimming suit but that she was having fun without us. No pictures of her in an apron! Returning from this fabulous trip, she happily commenced a career in teaching at an elementary school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

She met her husband, Gola Waters, on a blind date at an Iowa Hawkeyes football game arranged by mutual friends from Marycrest/St. Ambrose. While Gola attended law school, Pat pursued her master's degree in education. They both received degrees from the University of Iowa, a JD for Gola and a MA in education with a concentration in reading for Pat.

For entertainment, they loved to dance, especially the jitterbug, at local dance pavilions, and play bridge. Assured that she would have a lifelong dance partner, they married on June 22, 1957, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Petersville, Iowa, with a seated luncheon reception at the Country Club and then off to the Wisconsin Dells for their honeymoon. It must have been a match as they celebrated 63 years of wedded bliss.

After the honeymoon, they moved to Portsmouth, Ohio, where Gola had accepted a job in labor relations in industry. In quick succession, two children magically appeared on the scene.

Subsequently, they moved to Du Quoin for a similar job with Mallory Battery. By 1961, they had three children (Philip, Ann, and Mary Pat) and Pat was very busy taking care of a full household, according to their Christmas letter that year. As if work and children weren't enough, Gola started taking night classes at Southern Illinois University in the School of Business to obtain his master's degree in management.

They moved once again to St. Mary's, Pennsylvania for Gola's new job with Pure Carbon. The move was short-lived as Gola received an offer he couldn't refuse - to come to Carbondale, become a professor and finish his Ph.D. In St.Mary's, Pat and Gola joyfully welcomed another rugrat, Michael, and the world was saved from boredom. for unto the Waters's family a Funny Guy was born (but first he was just a cry baby).

The years in Carbondale from 1965 to 2019 were filled with happiness and contentment. Pat was so involved in the community that the phone (wall phone with 20-foot cord) never stopped ringing. She was always baking something for some event or being solicited for advice in the art and science of raising children. She also began work as a substitute teacher getting calls in the early morning to sub for one of the teachers in the district.

Eventually her substitute teacher efforts paid off and she was hired as a full-time 4th grade teacher at Thomas School, a post she held until she retired 14 years later. "Mrs. Waters' gave her heart and soul to her students and set the bar high for their success, even though she recognized and addressed some of the struggles in their home lives. Night after night she lugged a huge canvas bag home to grade homework and tests, as well as prepare for the next day's lessons. The students responded with tenacity and behaved well when they figured out she was not going to lower the bar or take any deviation from learning the curriculum. When she peered over those reading glasses, you better watch out!

During her teaching years, Gramps, her 92-year-old father, came to live with Gola and Pat. They cared for Gramps for five years until he passed away at 97. In her retirement, she would run into students all over Carbondale and they would invariably stop Mrs. Waters to tell a story about something in the classroom that positively affected them.

Her teacher friends became another source of friendship and endless lunches and tailgating. She could keep a secret, and that fact alone may explain why she had so many friends. She loved to laugh. She possessed humility.

She taught CCD, every Sunday for umpteen years to first graders at St. Francis, after beloved Hap Meehan retired and passed the torch. If you can recite the Our Father, bless yourself, and genuflect correctly, then you can thank Mrs. Waters.

Pat and Gola also welcomed innumerable Catholic international SIU students from Africa, the Philippines and Asia into their home to provide a home-cooked meal, comfort and easy conversation. Her listening skills were unrivaled.

She worked with the women of St Francis to retire the parish debt by catering events in Southern Illinois. She served as a eucharist minister and visited many elderly people in nursing homes through the years. Never empty-handed, she always brought a baked treat to delight the residents. For her stalwart and continuous devotion to the parish of St. Francis Xavier, Cardinal Wilton Gregory, then Bishop of Belleville, gave her a diocesan Silver Award.

Pat's membership in the Carbondale Women's Club allowed her to support the local arts and charities with a group of like-minded women to enhance Carbondale as a welcoming and vibrant community.

In retirement, the couple, as dedicated fans, attended SIU football and basketball games. They traveled extensively with friends from Carbondale to various parts of the world. After a trip they eagerly returned home to their neighbors and friends. Pat enjoyed reconnecting with her myriad of friends, including tailgating buddies, her teacher friends, her best friends in the Potluck Group, her best friends in the Emerald Lane group, where she could laugh so easily, and her neighbors and church friends.

She especially liked visiting her children and reading to her grandchildren. She loved Christmas and exhausted herself by ensuring that the house was perfectly decorated, the Christmas outfits were chosen, the homemade Fudge for all the friends was made and distributed, the presents were bought and wrapped, the Christmas card and annual letter were prepared and sent, the sour cream coffee cakes were baked, and the meals were planned and prepared. Her smile and hug greeted each person who walked through the door. Pat baked many different legendary cookies for the Christmas Cookie Tray to serve after every meal during Christmas week. It far surpassed anything your imagination could dream of- Pop's eyes would be so big when the Tray was passed.

Pat was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Gola, and her beloved son Philip. She was also preceded in death by her infant brother Eugene, her brother Bill and her sister Eileen.

She is survived by her devoted daughters Ann (Pat) and Mary Pat (Paul), her loving son Michael (Linda), her adoring grandchildren, John Boehler (Alex), Betsy (Brian) Boehler Lattanzio, Andrew Beytagh and Mary Clare Beytagh (fiancé Max Murialdo), Meredith, Katie and Annie Waters; and the best surprise, three adorable great grandchildren Edie and James Gola "Jack" Boehler, and Owen Philip Lattanzio. Pat was especially close to her niece Sheila Shea Hope and a host of nieces and nephews who loved their Auntie Pat.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 10, in St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Carbondale, with Rosary preceding the Mass at 10:45 a.m. Celebrant will be Bob Flannery. Visitation at the Church at 10 a.m. preceding the Mass. Burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 12, in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Maquoketa, Iowa, with Ben Nkrumah, presiding.

Meredith Funeral Home in Carbondale is assisting the family with arrangements. To share a memory or story of Pat, visit www.meredithfh.com.