Floyd William Waters

Floyd W. Waters, 95, of Waukon, IA, died Saturday, December 10, 2016, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 21st, at 11:00 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon, with Fr. Mark Osterhaus officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary's Hanover Cemetery, rural Waukon. Friends may call one hour before services Wednesday at the church. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Good Samaritan Center in Waukon or to masses at St. Mary's Hanover or St. Patrick Catholic Churches.

Floyd William Waters was born January 30, 1921, in rural Dorchester, IA, to George and Veronica (Schwartzhoff) Waters. He was baptized in January of 1921 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Dorchester; at the age of 14 he was confirmed in 1935 at St. Mary's. Floyd had twelve brothers and sisters.

He coon hunted and trapped as a boy. In his younger days, he traveled to Minot, ND and baled hay with his brother George "Stub" Waters. He traveled to Hill City, SD, and met Florence Glade Spainhower. They were married June 17, 1963, at the courthouse in Custer, SD. Barb Wood (Florence's daughter) stood up with them. In December 1965, they adopted Mary Veronica Waters, who was born June 22, 1965 in Mitchell, SD. Floyd and Glade were living in Chamberlain, SD at the time. While in Chamberlain, he built the school and also the sidewalk leading to the school. Floyd also lived in Libby, MT, and worked on the dam.

In 1969, Floyd, Glade, and Mary came back to Waukon, IA, and bought three farms. On February 15, 1974, Fr. McEnany married Floyd and Glade into the Catholic Church at St. Mary's Hanover. William Dixon and Veronica Waters stood up with them.

Floyd liked to coon hunt and trap in his spare time. He coon hunted with Maurice O'Regan, Philip Liddiard, and Lyle "John" Schulte. His best friends were Emmett Henry and Emmett Howe. He also was proud of Cori Allen Lessard, his grandson, who he taught to coon hunt and took him several times. He also liked to trap and went trapping with William Dixon. He hunted deer and turkey with George "Stub" Waters and other Waters family members. Floyd was a successful beef farmer with usually 150 head of Black Angus cattle. He was a member of the Cattlemen's Association. Floyd also belonged to St. Mary's Hanover Catholic Church in rural Waukon.

He is survived by his loving daughter Mary of La Crosse, WI, and her son Cori Allen Lessard of McGregor, IA; stepson Louis "Bill" Wood of Anchorage, AK; his grandchildren: Beth, Holly, and Troy Wood of Olympia, WA, and Jenny Ditto and Lawrence Wood of Anchorage, AK; siblings: Earl (Iris) Waters, Helen Dixon, Leonette Troendle, and Donald (Ardith) Waters, all of Waukon, Ralph Waters of Kenai, AK, and Danny Waters of Anchorage, AK; his great-grandchildren; and sister-in-law Ellen Waters.

Floyd was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Florence Glade; stepchildren Barb and Ted Wood; an infant sister; and siblings: George "Stub" Waters, Ronnie Waters, Bill Waters, Evelyn Peters, Kate Kirkeby, and Delores Waters.

Honorary casketbearers are Cori Lessard, and Lawrence and Troy Wood. Casketbearers are John Foust, Paul Farley, Donald McGraw, James McCormick, Jason Howe, and Larry Liddiard.