Thomas R. "Tom" Waters

Thomas Ralph Waters, 80, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, passed away on May 22, 2020 after a ten-year battle with pulmonary fibrosis.

Tom was born on February 9, 1940 to Ralph and Violet Waters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, later moving to Fort Wayne Indiana. After graduating from North Side High School in 1958, he went on a basketball scholarship to study at Ball State. In 1960, he transferred to Defiance College, where he graduated in 1962.

After graduation, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps. He was honorably discharged in 1963. From there, his first jobs were teaching and coaching at Pettisville High School, followed by Paulding High School. His journey then took him to the CID of the IRS, in Toledo, Ohio. In 1970, Tom moved the family to Savannah, where he became the Agent in Charge. He then transferred to Atlanta in 1976, becoming Group Manager, where he ended his career with the IRS in 1978. Ending his public service career, he then founded Corporate Intelligence Consultants, specializing in representation of clients before the IRS and white-collar crime. As he loved his work, he represented clients until 2019.

On April 26, 1962, Tom married Elizabeth ‘Bette’ Gary Waters, going on to have three sons.They moved the family from Paulding, Ohio to Waterville; then on to Savannah, Georgia, where he tirelessly coached his two oldest sons in baseball, basketball and football. The addition of the youngest son left him coaching all three, after moving to Snellville, Georgia. Coaching children was a passion, where he was a role model for many young men over a couple decades. After the children graduated from high school and college, Tom was divorced, and remained so throughout the remainder of his life.

While in semi-retirement, working with a handful of clients and attorneys for whom he cared deeply, Tom spent his time attending his grandchildren’s events. He was then fortunate enough to spend his final years spoiling his great grandchildren. When he had the opportunity, he loved to travel. This often-meant time on the road with his son; Gary, grandsons; Austin and Nick or his dog; Summer.

Tom was preceded in death by his mother, Violet Uhlman Waters and his father, Ralph Waters. He is survived by his three sons, Gary Thomas Waters and wife, Teresa, Gregory Ralph Waters, Gordon John Waters and wife, Claire; seven grandchildren, Jessica Waters Jennings and her husband, Evan, Austin Waters and his wife, Brooke, Nicholas Waters, Sophie Waters, Madelyn Waters, Josie Waters and Kylie Waters; two great grandchildren, Kensie and Tenley Waters.  He is also survived by his two sisters, Nancy Hoehn of Fort Wayne, Indiana and Gerry Fisher of Muncie, Indiana.

In lieu of flowers, Tom requested donations be made to: The Hope Clinic, 121 Langley Dr., Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Services to be held at Chestnut Mountain Presbyterian Church, 4675 Winder Highway (HWY 53), Flowery Branch, Georgia 30542 at 3:00pm on June 6, 2020.

Arrangements by Byrd and Flanigan Crematory & Funeral Service, Lawrenceville. 770-962-2200

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