To Lloyd Stone, Harry Waters was like a second father.
The two men met about 50 years ago, when Stone was a student earning his master’s degree in counselor education at Emporia State and Waters was the department chair. Stone got to know and become friends with Waters and see up close the impact he made as a prominent member of the Emporia community.
“I think the main thing about Harry, he was probably the kindest man that ever lived,” Stone said. “He didn’t have a vindictive bone in his body, and what really impressed me was the way he dealt with students.”
Waters, also a former ESU athletic director and an original member of the Emporia Recreation Commission board, died Feb. 12 at age 85. On Sunday, Stone delivered a eulogy at his funeral at the First Congregational Church.
“As I said in my eulogy, I could name several students that are very prominent people now that, if it had not been for him, they would have never completed a degree,” Stone said. “But he always believed in people, and he was willing to give them a second chance, and a third chance, and every opportunity to succeed.”
Waters was ESU’s athletic director in 1960 when he joined the recreation commission board. He served on the board until last May, when he was honored on his final day with a plaque, a birdhouse and a letter of appreciation from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. He also served on the Emporia Country Club board of directors and the First Congregational Church board of trustees.
After Stone finished his master’s degree at ESU, he returned in 1965 to join Waters on the faculty. He took over his friend’s spot as counselor education department chair when Waters stepped down in 1982. Waters stayed on the faculty part-time before retiring in 1985. Stone, also a former state legislator, is now retired.
“I think the students really cared about him,” Stone said, “and one of the reasons they did is, he learned their names very quickly when he had them in class. And he not only learned their names, but he would (later) learn where they were teaching and what they were teaching.”
Waters loved to play golf in his spare time, and he and Stone had some great times on the greens. Waters’ daughter played basketball at Emporia State, and Stone said he was an avid fan who always knew each player’s statistics. For a time, Stone and Waters were the TV broadcasters for ESU basketball games.
“My father had died in 1965 when I came (back) here, so Harry was pretty much like a father to me,” Stone said. “He was really a great guy.”
srochat (Scott Rochat) says...
I am so sorry to hear about the passing of Harry. I had the pleasure of interviewing him when he resigned from the Emporia Recreation Commission after the longest tenure on a rec board in Kansas history. He had a wonderful heart, a sharp mind and a self-deprecating wit that had both of us laughing more than once. "The kindest man who ever lived ..." Yes, indeed.
Men like Harry Waters are often needed and rarely found. He will be missed.
Scott Rochat
Longmont Times-Call
Formerly of The Emporia Gazette
February 20, 2008 at 2:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )