WATTERS, William J.

WATTERS, William J. "Bill." (Dubuque, IA, May 1, 1917--Davenport, IA, May 11, 2012). In September 1986, Watters was elected to the DUBUQUE COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Board of Education. This event capped a career that saw him educated at DUBUQUE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL and the UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE. He taught mathematics and science at Jefferson Junior High School (later JEFFERSON MIDDLE SCHOOL) as well as served as assistant coach in all sports before being named an elementary principal in 1950. (1) He held administrative positions at BRYANT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, and IRVING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. On the school board, Watters was a legislative liaison and served on the curriculum, building and grounds, policy, and athletic committees. He served two terms on the board and was chosen president of the board in 1990.

Watters amassed an amazing resume of community service. He served as a member of the Dubuque Rehabilitation Commission and was president of the Retired Teachers Association (1983), Dubuque Chapter of the Association of Retired Persons (1985), and the Iowa Retired Teachers (1984, 1985). Watters chaired the Physicians Survey in Dubuque (1984) and the Prescription Drug Survey (1985). He was a 12-year member of the Dubuque Housing Commission; a member of the Executive Board of Dubuque Area Lifetime Center where he served as treasurer, and director of the Tax Aid Program for 12 years. Bill was also a member of the Dubuque United Way Board, Mercy Hospital Community Relations Committee, and twice served on the alumni board at the UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE and was a past president.

Bill was especially active in the Dubuque Noon Lions Club for 57 years. He served as president of the local club and secretary-treasurer for twenty-six years. He was a district governor of District 9-X3 from 1973 to 1974. Watters received the Melvin Jones Award in 1986, Warren Coleman Award in 1988 and 1997, and the Whitten Service Award in 2011. Bill sponsored 53 new members and was involved in the forming of two new clubs.

Watters served as a member of the Older Iowa Legislature from 1982 to 1985 and was Speaker of the House in 1983. He was an active 82-year member of Grace Point Church (formerly known as THIRD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH) where he served as an elder, trustee and treasurer for eight years, clerk of session, Sunday school teacher and Boy Scout leader. He was a member of the American Legion Post 6, of Dubuque for over 50 years and was past commander and a member of the 40/8 and the DAV. Bill also was a Mason, a member of the Metropolitan Lodge 49 for over 50 years, and served as past master and a member of the of the Oxus Grotto. He served as treasurer and finance officer of the Masonic Temple Association and Masonic Temple Foundation.

Bill was a lifelong Republican. He served on the Central Committee for a number of years and was a delegate to the Republican National Convention during the Reagan and Bush years. Bill was the founding member of LLAFF (Loras Life After Fifty Five) exercise program. He was a local official for basketball and football for 40 years and a track official for over 50 years.

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Source:

1. "Teachers Get Pay Increase," Telegraph Herald, March 24, 1950, p. 1. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=aEyKTaVlRPYC&dat=19500324&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

2. Obituary