Waters family pays homage to ‘Uncle Hubert’; honors faith, family, flag over Easter weekend
Over eight decades of pain, heartache and unanswered questions finally came to an end Saturday, as Private Bennett “Hubert” Waters was laid to rest at Blackshear City Cemetery—81 years after he left Pierce County to join the Army Air Force, serve in World War II and eventually give his life for our nation in 1945.
Waters was buried beside his beloved Mama, Minnie Bennett Waters Kelly, and will be under the monument she purchased for him long ago.
Saturday’s funeral and interment were preceded by Waters’ homecoming ceremony to Pierce County March 28, a journey that traveled from Taiwan, to Honolulu, to Omaha, NE, to Atlanta, to Jacksonville and finally, home to Blackshear. Additionally, Governor Kemp issued a proclamation on April 2 that flags were to be flown at half-staff in Waters' honor at the State Capitol and in Pierce County on the day of his funeral.
Waters was a member of a large Pierce County family, which included his mother, his father, James Lester Waters, and his siblings, James Woodrow Waters, Jewel Eliza Waters Futch and Geneva Waters Lamb.
Born in Pierce County in 1917, he joined the Army in 1940 before the outbreak of World War II. He later was captured in the Phillipines and was a survivor of the Bataan Death March. He was killed in action as a prisoner of war on a Japanese ship on what was then Formosa, but now is Taiwan. Originally recovered and buried as an unknown in Honolulu, DNA testing from his family locally eventually led to his identification and his body being returned home for burial.
Living relatives are his nieces Laura Waters Anderson of Blackshear, Matilda Waters Dukes of Quitman, Nell Waters Clanton of Jesup, Joann Futch Smith of Blackshear, Pam Lamb Solt of Springfield and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews, greatgreat- nieces and greatgreat- nephews and greatgreat- great-nieces and great-great- greatnephews.
Waters’ funeral service was held at First Baptist Church in Blackshear. It included performances of “America the Beautiful,” “In Color” and “The Crystal Sea” and “God Bless the USA”.
The Rev. Tony Walsh, Waters’ great-nephew, officiated the ceremony. The Rev. Walsh opened and closed the ceremony in prayer, thanking God for comforting the family through all these years and for finally ending the suffering. In his speech, he talked about “Uncle Hubert’s” sacrifice, thanked the veterans and other military gathered in the sanctuary and called on everyone to ensure they are “fighting in God’s army.”
The Rev. Walsh was followed by his son, Sgt. Andrew Walsh, who is stationed in Fort Drum, New York, and had the honor of escorting his great-great uncle’s remains all the way from Omaha, Nebraska back home to Blackshear.
Sgt. Walsh was emotional as he talked about what an honor it was to accompany his greatgreat uncle back home.
Holly Schools read a letter from 1945 addressed to Waters’ mother and her great grandmother, Minnie, congratulating her on her son’s ingenuity and dedication to his country and expressing condolences for her loss.
Pallbearers were members of the United States Army Honor Guard in Fort Stewart, Hinesville.
The Patriot Guard Riders came up from Florida to honor Waters’ interment by surrounding the gravesite in American flags.
Full military honors were rendered at the graveside with a 21-gun salute and a bugler playing “Taps”. Waters’ niece and oldest living relative, Laura Waters Anderson, was presented with the flag that draped her Uncle Hubert’s casket.
Afterwards, the Waters family assembled to observe Easter. (See related item.)
