George E. Waters, 102, a retired purchasing manager and resident of Heritage Village in Southbury, Conn., since 1974, died Wednesday, December 6, at his home. Mr. Waters remained active to the end of his life,
mixing a keen interest in his family and the news with leadership roles in his church and often twice-weekly poker sessions with players decades younger than himself. He spent nearly 40 years as a purchasing agent and
manager with Allied Chemical & Dye Corp., now a unit of Honeywell Corp., and the Crum & Forster group of insurance companies. But it was his time as overnight bell captain at the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan from 1926-29 that he most treasured. His memories of meeting famous figures of the Roaring
20s in that job inspired a lengthy profile in The New York Times in December 2004, shortly after his 100th birthday. He left the original Waldorf, then at 5th Avenue and 34th Street, only because it was being demolished to make way for construction of the Empire State Building. He would say he was the last employee to leave the hotel. Mr. Waters was born in Baltimore, Md., on Nov. 29, 1904, to Charles E. and Maude G. Waters. Following his father's early death, he settled in rural Gaithersburg, Md., now a booming suburb of Washington, D.C., with his mother and two older sisters. After attending a business college and working briefly in Richmond, Va., he moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., where he met the former Ruth E. Kane at a church group. They were married in 1932. Mrs. Waters died in 1994. Survivors include three children: Barbara R. Schnaible of Lawrence, N.Y.; Joan M. Waterhouse of Southbury and Donald C. Waters of Falls Church, Va. Also, six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, along with several nieces and nephews.

Memorials: Memorial contributions may be made to the George E. Waters Scholarship Fund, in care of Joan Waterhouse, 62D Heritage Village, Southbury, CT 06488.

Cemetery: Cemetery Not Applicable

Location: Munson-Lovetere Southbury

Funeral: South Britain Congregational Church

Services: A funeral service will be held at the South Britain Congregational Church, Route 172, Saturday, December 9 at 11: 00 a.m. Burial will be at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, N.Y.

Visitation: Friends may call at the Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home, 235 Main St. N., on Friday from 2 to 4 p.m.