Obituary of Beatryce T. Waters

Beatryce T. Waters, age 78, of LaBelle passed away Wednesday, September 21, 2011 in Lehigh Acres, FL. Beatryce was born March 3, 1933 in Trenton, S.C. to the late Irene Aterway and Samuel Wise. Her name at birth was Fannie Lue. She was adopted at the age of 3 months to Mary Anne Johnson and Press Tillman. At the age of 3, her father bought a mule from Mrs. Beatrice Anderson, and she wanted her name to be Beatryce too. So it was. She received her elementary education at Douglas Jr. High School in Trenton and then went to Bettis Academy and Jr. College in Trenton. She was brought up and baptized in Science Hill Baptist Church at the age of 12, in Edgefield County, S.C. She held the position of Secretary of the Usher Board, until moving to New York at the age of 18. From a child Beatryce always wanted to be a nurse. Well she made it, graduated from LPN School in 1965. Went on to school and graduated from RN School in 1969 with an A.A.S. Went on to get her B.S. in Nursing in 1972 and her M.S., C.M.H. in 1973. She worked in different churches as she moved around, finally settling in Paradise Temple of Truth, founded by her son, the late Rev. Larry R. Tillman. She was married to the late Joseph Waters on August 3, 1972. They came to Florida in 1995, where her husband preceded her in death in 1996. She was a member of the Grace Baptist Church, Key Women of America Inc since 1973 and a member of the Kiwanis since 1998. She is survived by her one daughter: Sweet J. Love and husband of Brooklyn, NY; one son: Arkeen Salah Dunlap of Copiaque, NY; one daughter-in-law: Hawwah Salah Dunlap aka Lucille Townsend; 20 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; five godchildren: Phyllis Elmore, Cassandra Parker, Efrain Martell Jr., Michael Owens (Fahiym) and Frederick Townsend (Tah-Ba) five sisters: Ruth Macklin and husband, Maggie Viola Hickerson and husband, Louise Williams, Earlene G. Foster and Lethella Smith, many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of other relatives and friends. The funeral service was held 6:00 pm on Saturday, September 24 at Grace Baptist Church, LaBelle, FL with Rev. Jeffrey Zimmerman and Pastor Benny McCloud officiating. Arrangements by Akin-Davis Funeral Home - LaBelle .