H. Robert "Bob" Waters

Bob Waters Journey

October 10, 1929 – May 31, 2013

Bob was born on October 10, 1929. The second son of French West Waters and Mary Ellen Brown. He grew up in Madison Heights, Virginia. A small town across the James River from the City of Lynchburg which sits on the red clay hills east of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Little did anyone know that (19) days later, October 29, 1929 would become known as Black Tuesday the day the Stock Market crashed and triggered the Great Depression. This era, through World War II, was difficult on many families across the country and the Waters’ were no exception. The Waters boys did what they could to help out with odd jobs before and after school. This experience developed for Bob an undaunting work ethic that would later be the basis for all the successes in his life.

Bob often spoke fondly of his youth and family. Use to joke that his high school football team had so few players that they all had to play both defense and offense. The Referee would let them sit a little bit between plays so they could catch their breath. Also use to speak of the girl from E.C. Glass High School that he met when she was playing basketball at the Armory and all the fights he had with his older brother Dick.

When Bob was 16, World War II had been raging for several years. He approached his parents to allow him to enlist and join his brother in the Service. After much persistence they finally relented and Bob joined the U.S. Navy where he served until the end of the war. Yes, it was patriotism Bob later said, but it also meant three eats a day which meant a lot to a teenager that wasn’t sure where the next meal was coming from.

The early years…..

Returning home, the Waters boys headed to Washington, DC to attend the National Art School. Dick to study theater and Bob to study window design. When courses started, Bob realized that he ‘accidentally’ signed up for the Interior Design Program and changed the course of his life to follow.

After graduation, Bob returned to Lynchburg. Taking the only job he could find to apply his interior design training, he started in the furniture department of the Milner’s Department Store for $18.75 per week. He also tracked down that girl from high school that he met at the Armory, Mae Smith, and she joined him on the journey for the next (33) years.

Next, the Synner & Hunley Furniture Store in Richmond, Virginia lured him away with a pay check of $35 per week.

Then came a conflict in Korea where the U.S. Navy politely asked him to return for a while. Returning from duty, Bob found his old job was not available so he returned to Washington, DC to join the PJ Nee Furniture Company. Now 22, he spent the next seven years opening new stores in the DC area.

The move North…..

In 1958, Bob accepted a manager position with Hanes Furniture Company in Norfolk, Virginia.

Now highly regarded as a young, talented force in the furniture industry, a friend at the furniture markets in North Carolina recommended him for a manager’s position at a store called Porter Furniture Company all the way up in Racine, Wisconsin.

With some attractive incentives, Bob accepted the position, much to the dismay of the Hanes Furniture Company who had already fired the manger he was to replace. Bob joked that he made a lasting impression his first week at Porters. The new manager, walking through the store, found a man carrying his own television. After assisting the man out of the store and loading his car, he assembled the staff and scolded them on the lack of service, only to find out later that the man never paid for the television.

In 1960, Ted Gottlieb, the brilliant man who was responsible for expanding Porters and moving it to 6th Street in 1939, died suddenly. Now in his early thirties, Bob and Ted’s widow Marie Crowley Gottlieb purchased and partnered in the (103) year old business. The partnership turned out to be an absolute recipe for success. With Marie being one of the most well respected Interior Designers in the Midwest and Bob being one of the best furniture business minds around, they launched the next (50) years of Porters.

The store was eventually expanded from 30,000 square feet to 80,000 square feet. Bob use to say Marie scared the hell out of him by taking the furniture presentation higher and higher. As their reputation expanded, so did the distance of the draw to their unique furniture store. As their customer base expanded throughout Wisconsin and Illinois, they re-branded their business as Porters of Racine. Together they grew it into one of the most well respected high end furniture stores in the country which ultimately, in all its forms, lasted for 152 years.

Then Bob started having weekend sales at the warehouse to clear merchandise. This worked so well that Bob started renting other warehouses and inventorying them with special furniture purchases he made from the manufacturers and showrooms. He called this new furniture business Creighton Barrows. The concept was working so well that he started getting threats of lawsuits from the Crate & Barrel Corporation in Illinois.

Eventually, this warehouse concept evolved into what became the Furniture Clearance Centers. Starting as a single store in Burlington, WI. it grew to include stores in Waukesha, Grafton, Wauwatosa, Mequon, Brookfield, Racine and an upholstery plant in Ashville, NC.

The adventure years……

‘All work and no play’ was NOT Bob Waters! Growing Porters into the place for some of the finest furniture in the world, Bob also appreciated the finest in life’s other adventures.

The store and work always came first but, when the stores were closed, you could find Bob with his ‘crew’ of loyal friends. Way too many to mention, the ‘crew’ was always there and oh what a time they had!

Graced with non-stop energy, Bob and the crew could best be characterized as professional diners. With ‘house accounts’ at all of the finest restaurants, the crew would nightly be on a dining adventure. Bob never found any food that he didn’t like except rhubarb. Yes, we said rhubarb!

On summer weekends, it was power boating. Whether on the Chris Craft, the Amerisport or the Baja, the ‘crew’ was always heading to Chicago, Milwaukee, Port Washington, Sheboygan or Michigan.

Winters might be a trip to Vegas, Bermuda, Florida or a Hawaii cruise.

Life was led to the fullest. Each night the phone would ring to find out where the crew was hanging and that’s where everyone went.

Everyone would agree that Bob Waters was one of the kindest men around. He liked everyone and everyone liked him and socializing became an art form.

Here’s to the Captain of the ‘crew’.

Later years…..

Eventually, Bob slowed his socializing pace as we all do, but he never lost his love for the store, for the furniture industry, for fine dining, and most of all his long list of great, devoted friends.

Bob came to work faithfully, every day, up into his 80’s until the business closed. Until this last hospital bout, he lived on his own, went to the store every day, was still driving, seeing friends in restaurants every night, and living a full, happy life. Even though he had to physically slow down a bit, his zest for life, his joy in his friends never slowed.

Bob lived a bountiful, full and complete life. We shall miss his vibrancy, his smile, his kindness.

To him, we say,

“Bon voyage, Bob. May your adventures in the next life, be delightful beyond your imagination.”

H. Robert ‘Bob’ Waters passed away early Friday, May 31, 2013 from complications following surgery. He was 83. Relatives and friends may meet at the funeral home Wednesday, June 5, 2013, 4- 7 P.M. Interment will take place at Fort Hill Memorial Park, Lynchburg, VA.