THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 12, 1995 TAG: 9503120254
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B6 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
Dr. Irving S. Waters, 67, of the 1000 block of Cambridge Ave., died March 8, 1995, in Maryview Hospital, Portsmouth.
He was minister and pastor of Mount Hermon Baptist Temple Church and a member of African Baptist Church, Cheriton.
``Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labor; and their works do follow them.''
A life well-spent living the gospel that he preached for over forty years came to a peaceful and deserved rest on March 8, 1995, as Dr. Irving Sidney Waters made his transition. The many who knew him and were blessed by him now say, ``servant of God, well done.''
Dr. Waters - the esteemed pastor of Mount Hermon Baptist Temple for thirty-five years; the loyal husband to Eloise Franklin Waters for over forty-three years; and the proud father of Cherri, Irvenia, and Melonese - dedicated his whole life to God, to his family, and to the Christian community everywhere.
Born August 24, 1927, in Cheriton, Virginia, to the late James H. Waters and Annie E. Waters, young Irving was baptized into the African Baptist Church and graduated from Cape Charles Elementary School and the Northampton County High School. He then matriculated at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia, where he received bachelor's degrees in history and philosophy in 1952 and in theology in 1955. He later received the Doctorate in Ministry degree from Howard University Divinity School in Washington, D.C., and a Doctor of Divinity from Union Christian College in Durham, N.C.
During his forty plus years of preaching the Gospel, he was the Assistant Pastor of African Baptist Church in Cheriton, Virginia; and he pastored the Macedonia Baptist Church in Newport News (1952-1956), the Pine Street Baptist Church in Covington (1956-1960), and Mount Hermon Baptist Temple (1960-1995).
His religious and professional experiences also included membership in the Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention; Baptist General Convention of Virginia; National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc.; Hampton Ministers Conference; Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity; Free and Accepted Masons of Virginia (Prince Hall Grand Lodge); and the Boards of Directors of SEVAMP, YMCA, NAACP, Mayor's Senior Citizens Commission, Central Civic Forum of Portsmouth, Progressive Civic League, American Red Cross (Portsmouth Chapter), and Help and Emergency Response. He was an instructor in Policy and Preaching at the Evans-Smith Institute, Virginia Union University, Richmond, Virginia, and has served as president of the Tidewater Metro Ministers Conference, the Interdenominational Ministers Forum of Portsmouth and Vicinity and as vice president of the C.L.K. Bailey and O.C. Jones Chapter of Virginia Union Alumni Association.
Dr. Waters' greatest achievement was centered around the lives that he touched through his preaching and living the Gospel. Deep and loyal ties were maintained in each of his pastorates and even from his college days. His warm, jovial personality was a most winsome quality that made his work with people easier and more effective. He was known in every sector in Portsmouth and loved by people from all walks of life. He had time for anyone who called. He was distinguished by his booming voice, often called during his ministry the ``little man with the big voice.'' When he reached the apex of his message and spoke with Holy Ghost power, it seemed as if the walls shook.
The Mount Hermon family has been blessed for thirty-five years with complete and exhaustive ministry. His accomplishments would require a book, and his successes would take hours to enumerate. Mount Hermon stands tall in Baptist circles as a premier church, having grown steadily in every respect. The family is shaken now, but not out of control or out of order. The preaching of the ``little giant'' will hold them steady while they gain a Holy Ghost calm and move on to the next level. They are not like a people without hope.
Survivors include his wife, R. Eloise Waters; three daughters, Cherri D. Waters-Crowel of Baltimore, Md., Irvenia E. Waters-Allen of San Francisco, Calif., and Melonese W. Privott of Portsmouth; a brother, James F. Stratton of Cape Charles, Va.; five grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and friends.
A funeral will be conducted at 1 p.m. Monday at Mount Hermon Baptist Temple Church, Portsmouth, by the Rev. Charles F. Mapp, officiating, and eulogy by Rev. D. Stefan Adams. Burial will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. Viewing at Corprew Funeral Home will begin at noon today. The family will be at the church at 6 p.m. today for the wake service. The body may be viewed at the church on Monday prior to the service. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY by CNB