George Franklin Waters died at his home on Wednesday, June 10, 2015.  He was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where his father's company, Waters-Genter, brought to the world the first automatic pop-up Toastmaster.  He attended The Blake School, Harvard College, MIT (Air Corps, Meteorology), and Harvard Business School.  He served as a 1 ^st Lieutenant, Army Air Force in India during World War II.

After the war, he married Jean Dain of Minneapolis.  Shortly thereafter the couple moved to Rochester, where George became sales manager of his father's company, Waters-Conley.  The company manufactured phonographs and home milk pasteurizers.In 1954, he founded Waters Instruments, Inc., which pioneered non-invasive measurements of heart lung function as developed by Mayo Clinic.  The company also provided subcontract work for IBM.  He retired in 1992.

A parishioner and former vestry member of Calvary Episcopal Church, he was also a member of the Minneapolis Club, University Club of Chicago, the Harvard Club of New York and Boston, Rochester Golf and Country Club, and University Club of Rochester. He was a long-time Rotarian.

George was active in Rochester community activities and served on several boards. He was especially proud of being a founder, and later president, of Rochester Industrial Opportunities, Inc., which was instrumental in bringing an IBM plant to the city.  For many years his favorite pleasures were skiing, tennis, racquetball, bird hunting, fly fishing, hiking at his cabin on Lake Superior, and travel.

Impressed by a 1955 Life magazine article proclaiming the forthcoming "Franklin Papers," George began an abiding and almost obsessive interest in the life, writings, and legacy of Benjamin Franklin.  Franklin was a major source of inspiration throughout his life.  George was a founding member and director of the Friends of Franklin, Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He gave many talks about Franklin, and his impersonations of Franklin were well known. He donated his entire collection of Franklin's writings to the Bakken Museum where they are prominently displayed in the Franklin Room.

He has three daughters, Dain Waters, of Boston, Brenda Waters, M.D., of Huntington, VT, Anne Waters, Psy.D., of Newton, MA, one grandchild, Lindsey DiMuro, and two great grandchildren.

A funeral will take place at Calvary Episcopal Church on Wednesday June 17 at 4 pm. A reception will follow at the Plummer House, 1091 Plummer Ln. SW, Rochester, MN 55902 at 6:30 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to:

The Bakken Museum

3537 Zenith Avenue South

Mpls, MN 55416

612-926-3878