Dr. John Stephen Waters' Obituary
Beloved local orthopedic surgeon, John Stephen Waters, M.D., commonly known to friends and family as Steve, died unexpectedly Thursday, May 14th at his beach condominium in Crescent Beach, FL.
Dr. Waters was born in Pensacola, Florida to Captain John Mayo Waters, U.S. Coast Guard and Peggy O’Neal Waters (both deceased) on January 9th, 1948. Their active military family moved often so he grew up in Bermuda, Miami, San Diego, Boston and Washington, D.C.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology at Virginia Military Institute, graduating in 1970. While there he excelled in gymnastics, soccer and held the record in the javelin throw. He was in the United States Army, Army Reserve with an Honorable Discharge in 1976.
He attended University of Florida Medical School and graduated in 1975. His Internship was in General Surgery at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee from 1975-1976.
Dr. Waters returned to Gainesville where he did his Residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Florida from 1976 – 1980. Upon graduation, he and fellow orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Clinton Bush started The Orthopaedic Center of Gainesville, which has since grown into The Orthopaedic Institute, and is now home to more than 25 surgeons. He practiced general orthopaedics and specialized in sports medicine, focusing on knee and hip replacements. In 2010 he traveled to Haiti after the earthquake to provide medical care to local residents. He was in practice for 32 years before retiring in December, 2012. During his career he practiced at Alachua General Hospital and North Florida Regional Medical Center.
Dr. Waters was loved and respected by employees, patients and other members of the medical community. He knew how to be firm, decisive and kind at the same time and could always be counted on to do the right thing.
After retirement Dr. Waters became an active member of the UF Medical School Admissions and UF Medical School Alumni Boards. He enjoyed reviewing applications and interviewing potential candidates face-to-face. He always had an extra soft spot for the underdog and had a knack for seeing the potential in non-traditional hard working & talented students. In his free time he also attended to patients with orthopaedic problems at Acorn Clinic, a facility that provides free medical services for underprivileged patients.
He was a member of several professional organizations including, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Medical Association, Florida Medical Association, Alachua County Medical Society & University of Florida Orthopaedic Society.
He was a strong supporter of education at every level, with a passion for providing access to higher education for those in need. He funded a scholarship for a UF medical student, supported the Education Foundation of Alachua County, in particular Take Stock in Children (TSIC), which provides scholarships for needy students and personally mentored and provided scholarships for his son’s childhood friend, who is now in pursuit of his PhD.
He & his wife Shelley are avid supporters of the Arts in Gainesville. He was a sustaining member of the Harn Museum of Art and supported the UF School of Theater and Dance.
Although Dr. Waters was an accomplished surgeon and loved caring for his patients, family was always first and foremost; everything he did was for them.Steve was a loving husband and father who was a living example of integrity, humility and strong work ethic. His home was always open to all of his children’s friends, where he offered medical advice, life advice or just a welcome place to relax and have a meal. He was always the biggest supporter at any of his kids’ sporting events and could be heard cheering from the stands. He was an avid Gator fan and supported the football and basketball teams since his days as a UF medical student.
He loved life and he LIVED it! He had a love for adventure on land and at sea. His passion was sailing and being on the water with family and friends. He took his boat, Meteor on yearly trips to the Bahamas and loved traveling to tropical locations where he enjoyed sailing and scuba diving. One summer he white-water rafted through the Grand Canyon for three weeks with a group of friends. He was an excellent snow skier and loved sharing these trips with family and friends. When he wasn’t out on the water or traveling, he loved building and flying model helicopters and since retirement found a new love of building and flying model airplanes. He recently discovered the joy of flying his new drone and taking aerial videos of the lake behind his home.
He is survived by his wife, Shelley, his children: Kelly Lee, Art Waters (Tina), Stephanie Waters, Brandy Waters, two grandchildren: Aubrey and Chase, his sister, Sandy Waters (Kerry Buckey), his Aunt Dorothy Sarratt, several first cousins and a multitude of colleagues and friends.
A Memorial Service for Dr. Steve will be held Saturday, May 23, 2015 at 1:00 p.m., in Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 100 NE 1st Street, Gainesville. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the University of Florida J. Stephen Waters, M.D. Scholarship Endowment, College of Medicine. www.uff.ufl.edu/appeals/waters. Checks can also be made out to UF Foundation and note in the memo: Dr. Waters Endowment (Fund 019847), P.O. Box 14425, Gainesville, FL 32604.
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