Antone “Tony” Ernest Watters passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2107, in Seattle, Wash., after having endured several years of poor health. He was born in Aberdeen, Wash., on Dec. 20, 1944, to June Fishel Watters and William “Billy” Watters.

He spent his early childhood in Neilton and the south shore of Lake Quinault, where he learned many things about life from his enormous family network of grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends and numerous siblings; Warren, Ruth, Albert, Lenneia, Wilbur, Mary and Wanda.

At a very early age he left home to live and work in the Westport area where he continued his schooling and eventually work with heavy equipment under the tutelage of Kenny Christensen. He lived with and became “family” with the Snider’s where Marge and Big Jim did their best to keep him on the straight and narrow. From there he joined the Army with Marge and Big Jim’s son, Jimmy, Jimmy’s cousin, Joe Rodman and their friend, Chuck Peterson. The Army eventually took them to Germany where they were in heavy equipment maintenance and operation. Though they were not in Vietnam, their job was direct support for those who were.

While in Germany, he met Kathy who later became his wife. They got married and had two sons, David and Darren. In 1968 Kathy died in a car accident and after some time, Tony married Ruth and they had a son, Michael. Their marriage ended in a divorce and Tony later married Sandy. Tony adopted Sandy’s three daughters, Tammy, Tracy and Terri and raised their brother, Jimmy. With several children in the house there was plenty of activity between paper routes and the various sports all the children were involved with – not to mention 4-wheeling in the dunes at Florence. Life doesn’t always go as we plan and they eventually divorced but remained good friends.

As a journeyman electrician, Tony, was injured in an industrial accident that eventually caused him to lose his leg, but, not his drive. He went to college and studied engineering and he went to work for the City of Hoquiam in the Public Works Department.

His passion was for the outdoors, so he traded in his office attire for bib overalls and heavy equipment to start his land clearing business. He was very successful in that endeavor and that carried him into the mid 1990s where he met Marcia on a job site. They were coworkers and friends for a few years and eventually combined households where together they enjoyed their classic cars, playing and listening to old time music and the abundance of wildlife outside their door.

Tony is survived by Marcia of the family home; children, David (Terri), Darren and their sons, Michael (Joanne) and their sons, Tammy (Dave) and their children; Tracy and their children, Terri and their children; and Jimmy (Beth) and their children; as well as Tony’s siblings. In addition to all the children and grandchildren, there are many great-grandchildren who amazed him as well as numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives. Tony also leaves behind his beloved dogs, Cricket and Shiley.

Tony was an organ donor and in lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations by made to the Community of Christ Church in Neilton or to help someone in need.

A celebration of Tony’s life with military honors will be held on Sept. 16, 2017, Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Community of Christ Church in Neilton with Glen Fishel and Dale Fishel, officiaging. A potluck gathering of family and friends will following the church social hall. Vault interment will be held later at the Quinault Cemetery.

Arrangements are by the Coleman Mortuary in Hoquiam.

Please take a few moments to record your thoughts for the family by signing the on line register atwww.colemanmortuary.net.