Bettie J. Waters

Bettie Jean Riley Waters went to be with her Lord on March 24, 2023. She was born in Terrell, Texas on August 16, 1925 to Floyd Marlin and Mae Elizabeth (Church) Riley. She graduated from Palestine High School and Nixon Business College. She started working at age 17, and had jobs with the railroad and bus company. Then in 1944 she married Roy Melvin Waters from St. Louis, MO and they had one child, a son, Dan Riley Waters, born in 1946. In 1947, she moved with her family to Los Angeles, CA where she lived for 25 years and worked as a Secretary-Bookkeeper. In 1972 she moved with her husband and parents to Cumberland Ridge on Lake Palestine, Texas where she lived until 1983. Then she moved to Tyler, Texas. She enjoyed working as a Secretary-Bookkeeper, and whatever needed to be done in her final job, until she retired in 2020 to move to Iron River, Michigan to live with her son. Bettie accepted Jesus as her personal Savior at age 11. She was an active member of the Baptist church wherever she lived, including Hollywood, CA, Inglewood, CA, and Tyler, TX. She was an active member of First Baptist Church of Tyler and C.I.A. (Christians In Action) Sunday School Class where she held various offices. Since August 2020 she has attended Iron River Bible Church in Michigan. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 51 years, Roy Melvin Waters in 1995 and her brother, Gerald Marlin Riley in 2022 and her parents. She was also preceded in death by her daughter-in-law, Mary Ruth Waters in 2018. She is survived by her son, Rev. Dan Riley Waters of Iron River and granddaughter, Joy Marlene Waters Ward and her husband, DeWayne of Harvey, MI and grandson, Daryl Roy Waters and his wife, Becky, of Crystal Falls, MI. She also leaves her sister-in-law, Jeannie Riley of Fullerton, CA and great grandchildren: Charissa Anne and Ian Michael Ward, Zoe Aiden and Roy Jonathan Waters, all in Michigan, Scott (Katie) Taylor and Alex (Tanner) Taylor, both of Green Bay, WI, and Analise Taylor of Grafton, WI. She also leaves special nieces and nephews, Gail Bangert of St. Louis, MO and Dennis (Nancy) Fechter of The Villages, FL; Brent Logan (Lori) Riley, Yorba Linda, CA and Beverly Jean Wolfe of NC; great niece and nephews, Bouka Wolfe, Riley Wolfe, Austin and Skyler Riley. A visitation will be held at the Iron River Bible Church on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 from 10:00-11:00 A.M. followed by the funeral. Pastor Kraig Tass will be leading the service. “God gave me a wonderful life!” – Bettie – 2/13/23 In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Iron River Bible Church or Charity of choice. Iron River Bible Church 3343 E US Hwy 2 Iron River, MI 49935 Interment will be at The Cathedral of the Pines Cemetery in Tyler, Texas. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Bettie J. Waters, please visit our flower store.