Don C. Waters

Donald Cecil “Don” Waters passed away on October 9, 2022 at the age of 93. He was born to Cecil D. Waters and Alvin Benson Waters at Valley Baptist Hospital, on F Street, July 1, 1929. Don’s mother passed away when he was one-and-half years old. When he was eight, his father married Lexie Ruth Waters. Two brothers, Patrick M. Waters and Thomas A. Waters, and one sister, Ina Ruth Waters Brown were born of this marriage. The Waters were a pioneer family in Harlingen as his grandparents, Daniel W. Waters and Christina Olsen Waters, moved to Harlingen in 1917 with their seven children.

Don graduated from Harlingen High School in 1947. After a summer of lifeguarding at Fair Park Pool, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy Aviation Division and served from 1947 as an Airman First Class until he was honorably discharged in 1950. During leave from the Navy in September 1948, he married Barbara Brown Waters and they spent their honeymoon in Honolulu. There were stationed at NAS Barbers Point on Oahu for a year.

Don and Barbara had been married for sixty-seven years at the time of her death in 2015. They were blessed with three children, Clifford Brent Waters, Terri Waters Hoff, and Rhonda Waters Shields.

During his career, Don was a chemical operator for Ethyl Corp., Deer Park, Texas, and Executive Director for Carte Blanche Corp. in Atlanta, Georgia and New York City. After returning to Harlingen in 1976, he opened the Town Club. In 1982, he and his brother-in-law, Joel N. Brown, founded the Lone Star Restaurant. Don retired in 1994 from the Lone Star Restaurant and lived in Harlingen until his death.

Don is preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Waters; his daughter, Terri Hoff, his daughter-in-law, Stephani Ann Waters; and his brothers, Patrick and Thomas Waters. He is survived by his children, Clifford Brent Waters and Rhonda (Allen) Shields; eight grandchildren, Matt (Nicole) Hoff, Mason (Jennifer) Hoff, Michael Hoff, Allen Shields IV, Lacey (Nicholas) Mead, Austin (Zafira) Shields, Colleen Waters, and Camille Waters; thirteen great-grandchildren, Jaryn, Kamden, Annslee, Mabel, Gracen, Emma, Madison, Worth, Magnollia, Crawford, Truitt, Louisa, and Galilee; and his sister, Ina Ruth Brown.

A celebration of Don’s life and legacy will take place at a future date.

You are invited to honor Mr. Donald Waters by making a memorial donation to the Disabled American Veterans (dav.org).

You are invited to leave remembrances and condolences on Don's Tribute Wall by clicking the TRIBUTE WALL tab (above).