Dale Allen Waters Sr.

“Good friends are like stars; you don’t always see them, but you know they are there.”

Dale Allen Waters Sr., 80, from West Chester PA, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of April 23 after a 17+ year battle with Parkinson’s Disease, which he confronted with dignity and grace.

Dale grew up with his parents and his older brother in Aldan, PA where he attended Lansdowne-Aldan High School, and excelled in every sport he touched. He went on to play baseball and basketball at West Chester University, where he was honored as the school’s first-ever Student Athlete of the Year. He was subsequently inducted into the university’s Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1963, he received his BA in Education from West Chester (then State Teachers College), and later his Master in Education from Villanova University, whose basketball team he rooted for until the end.

In the late 1970’s, Dale reconnected with an old high school acquaintance, Charlotte O’Sullivan (née Mandos). The two fell madly in love, married in 1980, and remained smitten and committed for their entire marriage. They made their home in West Chester, where they were members of First Presbyterian Church. They enjoyed their vacation home in Ocean View, DE, and eventually moved there permanently, at which point they became snowbirds—Delaware in the summers and their condo in Naples, FL during the winter.

Dale was committed to his chosen profession as an educator, most notably at Aldan Elementary School, where he was a sixth grade teacher and assistant principal for most of his career. He also maintained a successful landscaping business on the side for many years. He retired from teaching in the mid-90’s, and worked at Vanguard for several years before settling down to enjoy his status as an official retiree. By then he had immersed himself in tennis, fishing, and all things golf.

Dale is survived by his wife of 42 years, Charlotte; his daughter, Deborah Sumner (Samuel) of West Chester, PA; his son and namesake, Dale A. Waters, Jr. (Susan) of Hunt Valley, MD; his stepdaughters, Joan Fish (Michael) of Medford, NJ and Kerry Wiley (William) of Chagrin Falls, OH. Also mourning his loss are his 11 grandchildren: Dale A. Waters III, Cassandra Kim (Jae), Wynn Waters, and Landry Waters; Samuel Allen and Ross Sumner; Caroline, Matthew, and Patrick Fish; and Ruby and George Wiley. And of course, his beloved cat, Buddy.
Dale has been reunited in heaven with his father and mother, David Lentz and Emma Dorothy Waters (née Allen), as well as his older brother, David Waters.

Dale will always be remembered for his gentle spirit, his generous nature, his impeccable work ethic, his patient disposition, and most of all, his brilliant and unrivalled sense of humor. His ability to tell a story and land a joke was pure genius. He cherished his many friendships, enjoyed travel, loved watching sports and listening to doo-wop.

Relatives and friends are invited to celebrate Dale’s life on Saturday, April 30, starting with a visitation at 11AM, followed by a service at Noon at Cavanagh-Patterson Funeral Home, 43 East Baltimore Avenue in Media.

Memorial contributions may be made in Dale’s name to the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. 1-800-708-7644. Donation Processing │ The Michael J Fox Foundation P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014. https://www.michaeljfox.org/donate

Dale asked for nothing; he gave everything.