Coach Waites was an awesome man.  I was a student at Crestwood High School and I thought I was all of that.  Coaches Waites had massive calves muscles and there was no way I could  ou run him.  We would hide in the woods but he would always find us.  Great man!!!  Never was a jerk even though we were sometimes.  Love you Coach!!!  Great memories.  Please let me know when you receive this email because I want you to know I appreciate his presence.


Coach waites was an awesome coach and great person.  I remember how I tried to hide from him with my friends during our cross country runs and srure enough he would find us hindiding and he would chase us down with that little smirk on his face.  Hilarious!!!  Massive calves that could not be outrun.  Really nice man with a big heart.  God bless you coach waites.  You were awesome!!;



Belated condolences to coach Waites family, so sorry to hear of his passing. I never got to thank him personally but I'd just like to let his family and friends know that he was the only teacher at Crestwood my short time there there fall of 74 thru Feb 76 before we moved back to the DeKalb Co side of Dunwoody where I thrived that really got the best out of me. Crestwood was an odd school those yrs, he seemed to bring some of the only sanity to what I saw and was able to do there. He was a good teacher and smart coach.

Coach Waites inspired me so much and took the time to practice tennis with me every afternoon after school during my High School year at Crestwood in '82 as a Danish exchange student. I made the school team - thanks to Coach Waites. I have fond memories of my time with him and the tennis team. RIP

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.

Remembering Opa
Apr 29, 2014
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Jeff's dad Bob Waites passed away yesterday afternoon at the age of 80. Bob was a high school coach, gym teacher, and lifelong athlete. After retiring from working in the public school system, he ran his own landscaping business - the recliner was never his style. Bob regularly beat runners and opponents half his age at tennis well into his seventies - and he didn't even brag. He was deeply spiritual, kind-spirited, and hard-working - a great man.

Bob grew up working on his family farm in rural Georgia, and was a star on his high school football team. He got a football scholarship to Florida State only to blow out his knee during the first season. Happily though, he transferred to a small school in Tennessee, where he met and married his college sweetheart Marilyn. He enlisted in the army after college, did a tour of service with Marilyn in Germany, then moved to Roswell, Georgia. There, they raised three delightful children - Wendy, Phil, then my Jeff – who in turn all had kids of their own.

I knew Opa in his grandfather phase, and we would visit once or twice a year from Chapel Hill, then later from Maine. He used to delight the kids by driving them around in his big landscaping truck, and would always be up for round of ping-pong or horseplay. No questions asked.

Several years ago, Bob was diagnosed with Alzheimer's- which I've come to understand as a cruel mirror image of autism. Jeff coined the term Autheimer's to capture this bitter paradox, for while autism rises, full of hope and plans and potential, Alzheimer's recedes, suffers, regresses. Our son was building skills around safety, communication, emotional awareness, physical coordination, and executive functioning, while these very same skills were slowly vanishing from his father visit by visit.

But there was this sort of golden moment a couple of years ago - where Roman's social anxiety made it hard for him to connect with most people, and Bob's speech was declining - when they just bonded. They could enter a room from opposite doors, share a wordless look, and it was GO TIME. They'd meet up like prize fighters in the middle of the ring and wrestle each other to the ground. It was beautiful.

I always picture Opa outside, fit, handsome and well tanned, with coach shorts on. Here he is in better years with Roman, at our favorite spot on Macworth Island, Maine, before the thought of Autheimer's ever crossed our minds.

Kelley

Written by Kelley Fitch

Great man, way ahead of his time on the understanding of fitness.

Awesome roll model and teacher... Fantastic Man that will be missed...

Great man. I ran track cause of Coach Waites! During Tennis season he would stay after school and we would hit till Coach Collier arrived. He was a terrific tennis player. I enjoyed his company!! Condolences to the family and Crestwood Nation!!

Wonderful memories of Coach Waites!  Such a wonderful teacher.  So excited for us to learn. There's a special place in heaven for him!

Coach Waites is an excellent man and role model. He taught discipline, duty and Christian charity. I am a better man because of him.

Dear Waites Family - I'm so sorry for your loss! Keeping you all in my thoughts.
Dagmar Ebaugh (Mueller) - CHS '85

We are thinking of you and your family.  We have many wonderful memories of our times spent together.  May God's peace and comfort be with you all.  With love, Anne and Jerry Hughes

Marilyn, I'm so sorry to hear about Bobby.  I have many good memories of you both at Milligan.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Waites Family. Coach Waites was one my teachers at Roswell High School in 1960. He was always patient and kind to his students and truly cared about us all. He will be greatly missed.

Coach Waites was a great coach and unforgettable personality who had a  positive influence on everyone who had the good fortune to know him.  His tenure as coach for the cross country team and the track team were the glory years for those sports at Sandy Springs High School.

I was telling my children a Coach Waites story just the other day.  He was a man worthy of passing along his teachings to the next generation.  Thank you for sharing him with us and allowing him to change our lives for the better.

I was honored to be one of Coach Waites's students several times at Crestwood. Although he was never successful at getting me fit, he showed me how to be honorable, respectful, and a kind, caring Christian. Not only through words, but in his deeds, and especially his way of approaching life. I have no doubt that he is home with his Savior now. Thanks for everything, Coach Waites! I look forward to the next time we meet!

I was so sorry to hear about Coach's passing.  The Waites Family was a big part of my Crestwood High years.  Coach would make me study for bible bowl if I chose to not dress out on our running days in PE.  I wish I could have gone to the funeral. I miss seeing Mom and Coach on a regular basis.  Our condolences and prayers go out to your family.

Very sad news, sending thoughts and prayers to the family.  I had Coach Waites as a PE teacher and his son Phil was my classmate at Crestwood High School.  The thing I remember most was how hard he made us run in jogging class, but beneath his tough exterior you could tell he really cared about his students and wanted to make us better people.

Marilyn, so sorry to hear about Bob.  My name is Sandra Samples Hunter, you lived next door to me when I was growing up on Alpharetta Hwy in front of the Roswell High School.  Thought a lot of both of you.

My condolences to the Waites family.  He will be missed by many and fondly remembered always.  My mom, Lydia Fitzgerald, thought the world of him.

Dear Waites Family,Our prayers are with you all. It was such a blessing being neighbors for nearly 30 yrs. So sorry we were out of town during this time. Your dad was a wonderful, thoughtful man.  The Holton Family

Dear Wendy,
I am so sorry to hear that your dad had passed on. Coach Waites was an exceptional individual and role model. He inspired countless students with his steady guidance and self example. I have thought about him many times over the years and wished I could have known him better. He was definitely one of the "good ones".
Richard P Bibb
SSHS 1971

COACH WAITES WAS A FINE MAN. HE TOUCHED A LOT OF LIVES AT SANDY SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL I AM A BETTER PERSON FOR HAVING KNOWN HIM. REST IN PEACE COACH. RUSS BALES SSHS1974

I am so sorry for your loss.  Coach Waites was a great teacher and coach. He coached me in track and field, as well as soccer, and even made a personal visit to my home to see how I was recovering from breaking an arm pole vaulting.  He was always caring in all he did.  All of the Waite's family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Coach Waites was one of my teachers at Sandy Springs High.  I can see in the pictures how his family loved their husband, father, granddad.  The love of family from Sandy Springs High School past students, and teachers is send to his family in their loss.  He is a respected teacher.

bill bratton

I graduated from SSHS in 1971. My brother and I were just recently talking about your dad. He was a special individual. Knowing that he lived his life not for himself but for his Savior helps me better appreciate why I remembered him so fondly.

To all the family comes not only our sympathy for your loss on this earth but also the joy for Bob's reward as he enters new life.  Gale and David Chapman

Wendy, We were so sorry to hear of the loss of your father.  You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.

Robert & Linda Nash

I remember Coach Waites from Sandy Springs High School. I'm so sorry for your loss. He was a good coach and good teacher.

To my Westside family my other mother Marylynn and my brothers and sisters Phil, Jeff and Wendy.  If there were anyway on earth I could be by your side at this time. I would be. There is no end to the stories both trial and joy's that we have been through together. We shared the greatest times in our lives on that block. The opportunities that we had to grow up with such a magnificent childhood was provided by our Fathers.  As I have grown older the clarity of how great these men were becomes ever so clear.  I hold dear the memories of digging with coffee cans as long as necessary to earn a slurpee at golden gallon.  I will never forget the ladder fall and how we all came together and how seeing the most fit man in Roswell laying in a hospital bed with broken ribs shocked me.  Watching your dad running laps and landscaping long after most his age had retired to an easy chair. I spoke with him one day out jogging and I said "I hope I am still running when I am your age". He replied. "Joel, when you're young it's important to exercise when you get old it's IMPERATIVE". I will never forget that.  I could go on and on.  I love you all and my heart and soul is with you now.     Respectfully and with all my love.

To the Family,
I remember Coach Waites when he wore a younger man's clothes. He was well liked and respected by his students. May he rest in peace.
Jim Hardeman - SSHS Class of 1965

I remember "Coach Waites" from Sandy Springs High School... he was my track Coach when we won the Georgia State Championship in 1965... and I remember riding with him in his Chevrolet Corvair Monza Spyder.  I always liked that car, in spite of what Ralph Nader said about it...  I have fond memories of the Coach.  May God give peace to his family in this time of grief.

Wendy and Randy, 
We grieve along with you over the loss of your dad and father-in-law. We're so thankful to have met him and to have known him, however briefly.
Please know that you and your family are in our prayers constantly. May the Lord bless you and comfort you!
Love,
Steve and Kathy Hooks

What an incredible man and beautiful heart. Praying for the entire family.

Please accept my sincerest condolences. May you and your loved ones receive comfort and strength during this difficult time by drawing closer to our Creator through prayer and from His word remembering his promise found in Is. 25:8.

As a former student at Sandy Springs High, please accept my warmest regards for our loss of "Coach Waites".  My memories of coach Waites was that of a gentle man who kept his calm even when faced with a rowdy student like myself.  I will always have respectful memories...especially considering he was only 28 years old then!

Dear Wendy,
I am so sorry for your loss.  My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time.
Rose Harper

Wendy, Our thoughts and prayers are with you for your dad's eternal peace, and for strength, comfort and peace for your family. Love, Irfan & Nurfatimah Merchant and family.

Dear Wendy, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I regret that I will not be able to express my sympathy in person at the visitation, but will look forward to seeing you in the near future.  May God bless you and yours.  Linda Cherniavsky

Wendy, 
I was so sorry to hear about your Dad's passing.  You and all your family are in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time. Love, Dukeanna

Dear Wendy,
May wonderful memories of your Dad help you find peace. My prayers are with you and your family.
Blessings,
Patty Johnson

Wendy...so very sad to hear about your Dad passing away.  Wishing you and your family peace and comfort during this difficult time.  Be blessed...You are most loved.  Manuela Kelly

OBITUARY

Bobby Franklin Waites

March 3, 1934 – April 28, 2014

Roswell Funeral Home

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