It is with sadness that the family of Charles Eugene “Shorty” Watters announce his passing on June 13, 2018, at age 93. Shorty was born November 28, 1924 in Trinidad, Washington to Charles and Lucille Watters, the middle child of three siblings, older brother, George and younger sister, Joyce. His father was a mechanic, and the family moved many times when Shorty was young, over the course of 14 years, they moved 14 times around the northwest. Shorty graduated from Quincy High School in 1941. After serving in the Navy in World War II, he earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Washington in 1950. He had a success filled 37 year career in the Aerospace Division of Boeing.
Times were hard during Shorty’s early years. At one time he, his mother, George and Joyce lived in a small house with no running water or electricity near their cousins’ home in Trinidad, Washington. Shorty would go to their well and carry water back to the house. He worked odd jobs from the age of 8. He was a bright student who was placed ahead in school and graduated from high school early with his older brother.
While in high school, he lived alone with his dog, Mick in his Aunt and Uncle house on Crescent Bar, with the love and support of extended family including the Rifenbery family. He was especially close to his cousin Don Rifenbery, and they continue to be like brothers. Since he had no car, driver’s license or college education, he decided to join the Navy, but due to his young age, his Mother had to sign him in. He was so small that he had to eat a pound of bananas right before weigh-in to reach the minimum weight requirement. On his 17th birthday, November 28, 1941 he went in to the Navy. Eight days later the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and suddenly as a 17 year old, he was in World War II. He scored so high on aptitude tests that they assigned him to Sonar School, and he was sent to a Destroyer base to learn to operate and maintain sonar equipment. He was not assigned a ship, but was sent to work on any ship that needed him in the South Pacific as a sonarman. He survived the sinking of three ships in the Battle of Guadalcanal. In one case he had to swim over to shore with men drowning all around him after having surrendered his life jacket to a weaker swimmer. He left the service in December 1945 as the youngest Navy Sonar Chief ever.
In 1946, he met Edna. He saw her from a distance at a community potluck, and asked who Edna was and told them “That’s the girl I am going to marry”. They married on June 19, 1949 and began their family right away with Larry born June 14, 1950, and Jeanie and Bob following after.
He started college on the GI Bill at Central Washington College in 1946 intending to study engineering. He transferred to the UW for his second year where he changed course of study to Journalism, and was the advertising manager of The Daily. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1950 and worked for the Colfax newspaper, before moving to Seattle and embarking on what would be his 37 year career at Boeing in 1951. He originally applied for a job in public relations but when he found out that working on the electronics board paid 35 cents more per hour, his work life took a different trajectory. He eventually worked as manufacturing manager on aerospace projects in the Kent plant, including the Bomarc Missle, Saturn Booster, and the Lunar Rover, and retired in 1988. After retiring, he and Edna enjoyed travelling and playing bridge, and spending time with family.
Shorty was above all a family man, a loving and devoted husband and father. He was a steady support for his kids and grandkids at their school and sporting events, his love and pride for his family was apparent in the way he lived his life. He would encourage his children with the words “You can do it, you’re a Watters!” On his passing, Shorty and Edna were only six days shy of celebrating their 69th wedding anniversary. He will be remembered as having an extraordinarily positive outlook, Shorty was always cheerful, and never a bad thing to say about anyone. He appreciated all the gifts of this life, in spite of his difficult beginnings, he never had a complaint. He enjoyed sharing stories, telling jokes, playing bridge, golf, and tennis, was an avid Husky fan, served in his churches, loved cheeseburgers, he was a voracious reader, reading several books each week, he especially liked Louis Lamour books, he was a member of St Timothy’s Lutheran Church.
He is survived by the love of his life, his wife Edna, his children Larry (Pam), Jeanie Bjerke (Jerry) and Bob (Lynda), grandchildren Brian, Andy, Kate, and Charlie, and great-grandchildren Trey, Kyle, Nina and Nate, and many nieces, nephews and cousins that he loved.
Services were held on Friday, June 22 at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church16431 52nd Ave. West, Edmonds, WA 98026. In lieu of flowers donations to St. Timothy’s Church are suggested.
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