John E. Waters, 95, formerly of Little Silver, passed away March 31, 2026.
Raised in Belford, John enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1949 and was stationed at Naval Air Station Memphis, working as an electrician apprentice specializing in aviation electronics. John served in active and reserve status until earning an honorable discharge in 1956.
John spent most of his career at Fort Monmouth as an electronic warfare project engineer. He worked with the Navy SEALS, Army Delta Force, Joint Special Operations Command, Air Force Missile Command, Space & Missile Systems Center, and NASA. John was also an undercover agent for a national crime-fighting agency (he would not divulge a single detail).
In 1965, he graduated from Monmouth University with a degree in physics. In the 1970s, John was a leader in the successful “Save Fort Monmouth” campaign, when the Army was considering relocating the base to Virginia.
After retiring, John worked as a consulting engineer at EPS. At the age of 88, he published a memoir. He was a lector, eucharistic minister and on the parish council at St. James Church in Red Bank.
John was firm in his beliefs, buying two shares of New York Times stock so he could go to shareholder meetings in the 1970s and complain about the newspaper’s coverage of Vietnam POWs.
He helped bring youth soccer to Little Silver in the 1970s and then served as a coach. He was president of the Garden State Chapter of the Association of Old Crows, an active member of Toastmasters, and a member of several magician clubs.
John visited six continents, biked 500 miles through Yellowstone with his brother-in-law Tommy Johnson, and traveled to Normandy with son Jay and grandson Albert, with a ride in a WWII jeep in Sainte-Mere-Eglise.
John ran the New York City Marathon, completed many triathlons and mile-long ocean swims, swam with a masters team, and wrote a weekly column about running for The Daily Register. He skate-sailed in Marine Park, falling in only once.
John became a magician in his 70s so he could entertain his grandchildren. He was a devoted husband of 61 years to Barbara J. Waters, and he taught his three children the virtues of honesty, a strong work ethic, kindness, loyalty, the importance of family and friends, the value of experiences over possessions, and not being afraid to be, well, a bit different.
In fact, John was a quirky character. He stashed cut-up aluminum pie tins, shaped into the word “Hi,” in his luggage as a message to staff at airport metal detectors. He gave a small LED candle to everyone he met, saying, “You light up my life!” He belted out tunes when a singer came to his assisted living facility.
John was predeceased by his wife Barbara and his parents, John and Roberta Waters.
He is survived by his loving children, Nancy Reynolds and husband John, John “Jay” Waters and wife Anna, and Sharon Waters; his cherished grandchildren, Bridget and Madeline Reynolds, and Albert, Sarah and Eric Waters; his brothers, Bob, and Frank and his wife Marie; his sister Gloria Moro and her husband Charlie Perrone; numerous nieces and nephews; his beloved cat Lucky; and many dear friends.
John received excellent care from his aide Shorena and the staff at Atria Tinton Falls.
The article originally appeared in the April 16 – 22, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
