Jeanette Mae Waters
WATERS, HOFFMAN, DOLING, BELL, KATZMAN, PARKER, BOHLEN
Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 2/23/2022 at 07:28:59
Jeanette Mae Waters, 86, left our world on February 2, 2022, to join her loving husband Larry in Heaven.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 AM, Saturday, February 12, 2022, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Father Ed Fitzpatrick will officiate. Visitation will be Friday, February 11, 2022, from 4 PM to 6 PM at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, Iowa City. The Rosary will be recited at 3:30 PM. Burial will be at Memory Gardens. A luncheon will follow at the Elks Club. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to The Bird House Hospice Home or the Larry and Jeanette Waters Scholarship Fund c/o the University of Iowa Foundation.
Parking for the funeral will be available on Linn Street and on the north side of Jefferson Street between Linn and Gilbert Streets.
Jeanette was born on March 18, 1935. She was adopted as an infant and given her name by her father, Leal B. Hoffman, who picked her out because of her beautiful red hair. He took her home to his wife, Helen B. Hoffman, because she could not have children. They were loving parents, and gave Jeanette all the best they had to offer. She lived on a farm south of Iowa City, but moved to Iowa City when she started school at University Elementary School. She attended University High School (“U-High”) and graduated in 1953. Jeanette continued her education at the University of Iowa College of Nursing and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1957. She was very proud to be a nurse.
Upon graduation, Jeanette began her nursing career at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. It was there she met Larry Waters, who at the time was working his way through school as an orderly. They began dating, quickly fell in love and were married on August 1, 1959.
Not long after Jeanette married Larry, she chose to become a stay-at-home mom for 18 years. She actively raised and supported the couple’s three children in all of their interests. She served as a ‘room mother’ at the kids’ elementary school, a den mother and a troop leader for her childrens’ scouting interests. She became an excellent videographer for all the kids’ sporting events, which included Barb’s cheerleading, swimming & diving, as well as the boys’ little league baseball, football and wrestling.
As her children grew older, she chose to return to the world of nursing, where she found her true love and passion, working with disabled children at the University of Iowa Hospital School. She worked her way up to nursing supervisor before retiring in 1999. She always said she didn’t really retire, but rather she simply changed jobs. Upon leaving the University, she went to work helping Larry manage the couple’s real estate properties in Iowa City.
Jeanette and Larry were always very active. In their younger years, they were avid joggers. Later on, they became adept at bicycling. In 2000, at the age of 66 years young, Jeanette rode 6 out of 7 days on RAGBRAI, the annual bicycle ride across Iowa. The couple even tackled snow skiing in their 50’s. However, the activity that they loved the most was golf. Not only did they golf several times a week at the Iowa City Elks Club, but they also always took their golf clubs with them when they traveled. They loved exploring new and interesting golf courses in locations both near and far. Those travels often included following their beloved alma mater, the Iowa Hawkeyes, to away football games, bowl games, as well as a yearly trip to the NCAA wrestling tournament.
Jeanette loved her three children — Barbara Doling, Alan Waters (Brenda Bell), and Steve (Carolyn) Waters and their families. She found joy in being a grandma and great grandma. She and Larry enjoyed traveling with their children, and later traveling to see and attend all of their grandchildren’s activities.
Jeanette is survived by her children: Barbara Doling, Alan (Brenda Bell) Waters, Steve (Carolyn) Waters, as well as her seven grandchildren: Mike Doling, Kelli (Andy) Katzman, Alissa (Adam) Parker, Ashlee Waters, Lily Bell-Waters, Brandon Waters, and Lindsey Waters; her step-granddaughter: Kathryn Bohlen; and her two great grandchildren: Olivia and Lexi Katzman.
Jeanette is preceded in death by her parents Leal B. Hoffman and Helen B. Hoffman, and her son-in-law Terry Doling.
Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
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