Michael Augustine Waters

Michael Augustine Waters of Jupiter, Florida passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on November 22, 2024. The cause of death was congestive heart failure. Mike was born August 3, 1950 to Edward Augustine Waters and Lorraine Atwell Waters. He grew up in Northern Virginia, graduating from W.T. Woodson High School in 1968, and went on to Georgia Tech, where he became a “ramblin’ wreck and a helluva engineer.” Despite having never visited the school before his arrival, it was mostly a great fit, and once he joined the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, he was among lifelong friends. It was there in the fall of 1969 that he met Barbara Black, a blind date from Agnes Scott College. A classic Georgia Tech-Agnes Scott couple, they married while still students and celebrated 52 years of marriage in August 2024. Their life together took them from Atlanta to Washington, DC, to New Jersey and Massachusetts, back to Atlanta, and finally to Florida. Along the way they raised three kids. Forty years of Mike’s career were spent with Skanska, building numerous heavy civil engineering projects as varied as metro stations, bridges, state parks, water treatment plants, and courthouse tunnels. He helped rebuild the World Trade Center after the 1993 bombing, and he was an integral part of the Big Dig project in Boston. Mike was an engineer through and through, as was evidenced by some of his smaller home projects. Even the feral cat houses he built were carpeted and had sunroofs, to make warmer homes for all the neighborhood strays that Barbara tended. Mike was a big brother to all but one of his siblings, and he was big brotherly to many beyond his family—he was a leader and a teacher, and he excelled at teasing. He was a provider, rescuer, rock, nickname giver. He loved to read, to grill, to take long dog walks and bike rides, and to drink bourbon—things he taught his children to love as well. He took them and sent them on many adventures. He put hammers and glue guns and saws in the hands of his children and grandchildren. He wired dollhouses for light when they were little and talked them through electrical repairs in their own houses when they were grown. He exemplified the pleasures of lifelong learning and hard work. He was humble, kind, quiet, and intelligent, and he is sorely, sorely missed. Mike was pre-deceased by his sister Madeline and his parents Ed and Lorrie. He is survived by two sisters and two brothers: Dianne Isaacson of Rochester, VT, Kathy Waters (Kurt Lewis) of Oak Hill, VA, Jim (Veronica) Waters of Purcellville, VA, and John Waters of Annandale, VA. He is also survived by his wife Barbara, his sons, Lonn of Herndon, VA and Ross (Jenni) of Tequesta, FL, his daughter Aileen (Andy Chen) of St. Louis, MO, and his grandchildren, Audrey, Claire, Smith, and Scotti May. Mike was a faithful member of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Tequesta, Florida. A memorial service will be held at the church at 10am on March 6th. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to Good Shepherd Episcopal School in Tequesta, Florida, where Mike and Barbara have devoted their energies and support.

Michael Augustine Waters

August 3, 1950 - November 22, 2024