Betty Waters

Betty S. Waters, of Lenoir, North Carolina passed away peacefully Wednesday, June 14, 2017. She was 87 years old. The cause was pneumonia, however she suffered a long battle with Alzheimer’s.Betty was the daughter of the late Macie Haney Sluder and Dennis Rankin Sluder of Asheville, North Carolina. She was a graduate of Lee H. Edwards High School and Mars Hill College.She was the wife of the late James (Jim) C. Waters. The couple moved to Lenoir in 1959 when her husband joined Broyhill Furniture and she began work at The Bank of Granite shortly thereafter. The couple started Waters Furniture in 1971 and she took on the bookkeeping duties. She had a knack for numbers having worked in her father’s country store from an early age, later with GMAC and then the bank. After working a full day at Waters Furniture, she often would work late into the evening on the bookkeeping. She was a tireless worker and an unselfish mother and wife.Betty was an avid reader and enjoyed her Ladies Book Club. Betty and Jim were active members in their church family of First Baptist Church of Lenoir. She volunteered in the church office, baked many delicious pound cakes for bereaving families and lived a strong Christian faith.She is preceded in death by three brothers Denver (Dot) Sluder, Gay Sluder, D.R. Sluder (all from Asheville) and two sisters, Marie Sluder Stanfield (Asheville) and Phyllis Sluder Black(Forest City, NC).She is survived by two sons James (Jim) C. Waters, Jr and wife Lori of Roswell, Georgia and Edward (Eddie) A. Waters and wife Remel of Lenoir & Kannapolis, North Carolina, grandson, Mason C. Waters currently enrolled at N.C. State University, brother James (Euretha) Sluder of Asheville, brother-in-law Harry (Phyllis) Black, sisters-in-law Betty (Gay) Sluder (Asheville) and Shirley (D.R.) Sluder (Asheville) and several nieces and nephews.A service celebrating Betty’s life will be held on Sunday, June 18th at 2:00 PM, at the First Baptist Church of Lenoir conducted by Reverend Josh Hughes. The family will receive visitors in the church parlor from 1:00 to 2:00 PM, one hour prior to the service.In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests memorials be made to the First Baptist Church of Lenoir or the Dr. James C. Waters Scholarship Fund of Gardner-Webb Divinity School; c/o First Baptist Church, 304 Main Street, Lenoir, NC 28645 or the Alzheimer’s Foundation in Betty’s honor. Online condolences may be sent to the Waters Family at www.evansfuneralservice.com Evans Funeral Service & Crematory of Lenoir is serving the Waters Family.