Joseph S. Watters 91 passed away on August 31 2008 in Vero Beach Florida. He had been a resident of Newberry since 1971. Born on September 28 1916 in Shelby Ohio he was a son of the late Stanley and Geraldine Watters. He was preceded in death by a brother Albert F. Watters and a twin sister Sally Watters Kennedy. Mr. Watters graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1938 and earned a Master's degree in Retail Management from the University of Pittsburgh. He served as a Captain in the Army Air Corps in World War II. While stationed in Gainesville Florida in 1943 he met and married the former Mary Elizabeth Moore daughter of the late Dr. and Mrs. Ernest Harrison Moore of Newberry. Mr. Watters began his retail career in Atlanta in 1948 as a furniture buyer for the Davison-Paxon Company now Macy's. He was hired by competitor Rich's Department Stores in 1952 and rose in the ranks of management where he served on the Board of Directors and was named Senior Vice President in charge of the Store for Homes. After his retirement from Richs in 1971 Mr. Watters and his wife relocated from Atlanta to Newberry where Mr. Watters owned and operated a poultry business at their farm. During retirement Mr. and Mrs. Watters divided their time between their farm and their vacation home in Sarasota Florida. They also traveled extensively with their children and grandchildren to Europe Africa and the Far East.Mr. Watters was a member of Aveleigh Presbyterian Church and the Country Club of Newberry. He served as president of the Newberry Rotary Club where he was honored with the prestigious Paul Harris Award. He was also a life member of the Capital City Club in Atlanta. Mr. Watters was predeceased by his wife of 58 years who died in 2002. He is survived by daughters Laurie W. Shoemaker of Vero Beach Florida; Mary W. Bunny Bagley of Atlanta; and Sally W. Lawson of Richmond Virginia; and by his son Stanley H. Watters of Washington D.C. He was the beloved grandfather to seven grandchildren John Creasy Jr. Mark Creasy Erin Creasy Warner Elizabeth Creasy Morgan Sloan Lawson Hiscock Molly Lawson Childress and Joseph Lawson and great-grandfather to five. Funeral services were conducted at 10:30 A.M. Saturday September 6 at Aveleigh Presbyterian Church by the Rev. Dr. Mitchell VanMeter. Interment was in Rosemont Cemetery at 1:30 P.M.Active pallbearers were Wes Bagley Cabell Childress John Creasy Jr. Mark Creasy Calvin Hiscock Fontaine Lawson Joseph Lawson John Morgan Rick Shoemaker and Michael Warner.Memorials may be made to Aveleigh Presbyterian Church 1211 Calhoun St. Newberry SC 29108; to Newberry County Memorial Hospital 2669 Kinard St. Newberry SC 29108; to Newberry Opera House 1201 McKibben St. Newberry SC 29108 or to Thornwell Home for Children PO Box 60 Clinton SC 29325.Whitaker Funeral Home of Newberry is assisting the family.