Daniel McConnell Watters

On March 21, 2020, Daniel “Dan” McConnell Watters, 87, died peacefully in Dallas, Texas at The Villages at Lake Highlands.

He was born to Linton Garner and Buena Vista Watters on April 9, 1932 in Phoenix, Arizona. After the family moved to Atlanta, Dan graduated from Bass High School in 1950 and received a BS in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech in 1957. He married Mary Sue Mosely in 1959 and they would share most of their lives together in Lexington Park, Maryland raising their four children with brief stops in New Mexico, California and Pensacola, Florida along the way.

Dan enjoyed travel all his life and his adventures began at an early age. While in high school, 15-year old Dan was selected as one of two Boy Scouts in Georgia to attend the World Scout Jamboree in Belgium. He loved to talk about his experience in post-war Europe and the honor of representing his troop. After returning, Dan was inspired to join the Georgia Air National Guard and was activated during the Korean War. He served as crew chief for the F-86 fighter jet at England Air Force Base in Alexandria, Louisiana. Stationed near New Orleans, he enjoyed his leave time and had plenty of hijinks with his cousin Julien on Bourbon Street.

Among Dan’s favorite stories was how he met his wife Sue. As they both attended The Druid Hills Presbyterian Church, he conveniently sat behind this short-haired school teacher every Sunday. In Dan’s words, “I fell in love with the back of her neck!” On June 13, 1959, they were married at that very church in Atlanta.

Like his father before, engineering was Dan’s passion. His early career took them to beautiful China Lake, California where they started a family and made lifelong friends. His experience with missile systems at The Naval Ordinance Test Station and with nuclear safety at Kirkland Air Force Base in Albuquerque led him to land at Patuxent River Naval Base in Maryland in 1970. He was incredibly proud of his first-hand contributions to the military flight data recorder which he considered his career highlight. Dan retired honorably in 1993 and, throughout the years, he was always quick to share with a smile how he was a “Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech”.

No one took more pleasure than Dan in thoroughly cleaning a Maryland blue crab. From their home overlooking the serenity of Lewis Creek, he enjoyed the Chesapeake Bay’s offerings to its fullest with sailing, fishing and family gatherings to crack fresh crabs pulled straight from their pier. On holiday mornings, Dan would spoil the family with his famous made-from-scratch waffles.

In the community, Dan attended Patuxent Presbyterian Church for 42 years and served as an elder. He also surrounded himself with many friends at the Lexington Park Rotary Club. When they weren’t traveling to share time with their children and grandchildren, Dan and Sue visited nearly every continent around the world. As a history buff, Dan was known for slowing down to read every detail at a museum.

Dan is preceded in death by his father Linton Garner Watters and his mother Buena Vista McConnell Watters as well as his brother David Linton Watters. He is survived by his wife Sue and their four children: Mark Watters of Pensacola, Florida; Lee Watters of Haysville, North Carolina; Leslie (Watters) Miller and husband Kent of Baltimore, Maryland; and Daniel Watters and wife Alex of Dallas, Texas. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and his sister, Sally Belle Watters.

Due to uncertainties surrounding indoor gatherings, the family has yet to confirm a date for Dan’s memorial service. At a time pending, he will be interred to rest with his parents in Atlanta, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Patuxent River Presbyterian Church in California, MD's Memorial Fund or The Lake Highlands Presbyterian Church of Dallas’ Clean Water Project.