Obituary of Terence William WATERS, P.Eng.

January 10, 1940 - December 27, 2020

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our Dad, Terry Waters, on Sunday, December 27 at the age of 80.

Terry was born in Beccles, EN, to Joan and William Waters. He was the eldest of five children, Julian (predeceased 2018), John, Verena, and Bob. Growing up, Dad excelled in academics and soccer. In 1961, after completing an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the University College London, Terry took a research assistantship and crossed the Atlantic to attend the University of New Brunswick. He received his MSc in Chemical Engineering and, more importantly, met his future wife Nancy Ellen Reid. The pair were married on September 1, 1962 in Norton, NB.

The Waters family became well known for having eight girls and one boy, moving several times to far-flung and often remote regions of Canada’s north. Terry was highly regarded as a dedicated Project Engineer. Notably, he was proud of the generating station in Churchill Falls, NL, the completion of the Bi-Provincial Upgrader in Lloydminster, SK, and the CAP Project in Fort McMurray, AB. Terry was a proud member of APEGA and was elected to its Council in 2015, where he served for three years.

Terry always provided level-headed advice when asked and was a steadfast father and grandfather. He and Nancy loved to travel and enjoyed every season of the Canadian outdoors. Later in life, Dad appreciated the simple pleasures, including a hot cup of tea while solving The New York Times crossword and listening to CBC music. He was a lifelong bird watcher and kept meticulous records of his sightings while on nature walks accompanied by his family. Many will know Terry from his monthly birding article in Lakeview News & Views, a community newsletter for Lakeview, Calgary, AB, where he and the family resided for thirty years. In retirement, Dad also spent countless hours volunteering for the annual golden eagle migration watch in Kananaskis, AB. In the summertime, Terry enjoyed tending to his two garden plots at the Lakeview Community Centre and was a founding member of the community garden initiative.

His intelligence, generosity, and love of family are Terry’s legacy and will live on in the hearts and minds of all who knew him. Terry will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered by his nine children, Rowen (Roxy), Sarah, Helen, Jennifer, Fiona (Craig), Catherine (Josh), Susan (Doug), Stephen (Melissa), and Claire (Chris); and his fifteen grandchildren, Sophia, Olivia, Karl, Jens, Oliver, Liam, Ronan, Declan, Finn, Charlie, Elsa, Winston, Lorenzo, Heath, and Willow. Terry also leaves behind numerous extended family and friends in Canada and the UK. Terry was predeceased in 2011 by our mum Nancy.

We imagine him soaring with golden eagles above the
Rocky Mountains he loved so much.

A family service for Terry was held on Monday, January 4, 2021. When gatherings are allowed, there will be a celebration of Terry’s life in the future where we can all remember him. In lieu of flowers, if friends so desire, donations may be made to the Rocky Mountain Eagle Research Foundation  (www.eaglewatch.ca under Support Us) or the Calgary Opera Foundation, of which he was a long-time subscriber (www.calgaryopera.com under Support). The family would like to thank Terry’s many friends, the nurses, and staff at the StayWell Manor Village in Calgary, AB. A special acknowledgment to Dr. Nowell Fine and his team at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta.

In living memory of Terry Waters, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.