Return to Innocence

Terry Ray Watters

May 15, 1954 – October 2, 2026

Terry Ray Watters, 72, passed away on October 2, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of memories, laughter, love, and a family whose lives were forever changed by having known and loved him.

Born on May 15, 1954, in Waterloo, Iowa, Terry spent much of his professional life as a Manufacturing Engineer, a career he genuinely loved and pursued with passion. He took great pride in his work, but Terry also understood that some of life's greatest rewards had nothing to do with a job title or material possessions.

Terry found happiness in the simple things.

He loved music, nature, being barefoot, and making the people around him smile. He never felt the need to live beyond his means or measure happiness by what he owned. Terry appreciated what he had and found contentment in simply enjoying life and the people with whom he shared it.

Those who knew Terry also knew that he could be stubborn to a fault—and those who loved him knew it especially well. Yet beneath that stubborn streak was a man who was willing to listen, willing to compromise, and willing to meet the people he loved somewhere in the middle. It was simply part of what made Terry, Terry.

For 32 years, Terry shared his life with his wife, Vivian. Their years together held all the things that make a life together real—the laughter and disagreements, celebrations and challenges, ordinary days and unforgettable moments, companionship, growth, and an enduring love that became woven into the fabric of their lives.

Terry had a special gift for bringing a smile into a room. Whether through music, humor, conversation, or simply being himself, he wanted the people around him to have a reason to smile.

Terry was preceded in death by his mother, Janie Hahn, and his father, Bernard Watters.

He leaves behind his sister, Julie Helm, and brothers, Rick Watters and Scott Watters; his daughters, Rachel Aponte and Katrina Loomis and her husband, Kinn Loomis; and four grandchildren.

Terry also leaves behind his stepchildren, Chaunte Williams, Jaron Thompson (deceased), and Corey Thompson, along with six step-grandchildren who were an important part of his extended family.

He is also survived by two very special men whom Terry considered his bonus brothers, Bruce Leakes and Jim Kulis.

Terry's life cannot be measured simply by the years between 1954 and 2026. It is measured in the people he loved, the work that gave him purpose, the music that moved him, the laughter he created, the memories he made, and the lives that are different because he was part of them.

His absence will be deeply felt, but so will his presence—in a familiar song, in the beauty of nature, in bare feet touching the earth, in shared laughter, and in the countless memories held by those who loved him.

And for Vivian, his wife and companion of 32 years, Terry will forever remain the man who spoke to her heart.

Terry had a special way of ending every conversation. No matter who was on the other end, before saying goodbye he would leave them with the same simple reminder:

“Don't forget who loves you.”

And so, as we say goodbye to Terry, perhaps there is no more fitting way to honor him than to return those words to him:

Terry, don't forget who loves you.

We do. We always will. ❤️

No services are planned at this time.

Riemann Family Funeral Home, Gulfport, is honored to serve the family.