January 27, 1953 – February 20, 2026
Bernie James Waters, age 73, passed away on Friday, February 20, 2026, at Froedtert Pleasant Prairie Hospital. He was born on January 27, 1953, the son of the late Bernard and Evelyn (Craft) Waters.
Bernie made elevator buttons for the Kenosha Achievement Center and was a janitor at a shoe cobbler shop. He loved his lifelong companion, standing at 6 foot 1.5 inches, an invisible rabbit named Harvey. He built a new house almost every day for Verna out of Legos and was an accomplished kazoo player. He loved to perform puppet shows and was a master ventriloquist. He was a CB enthusiast and a collector of classic movies. Above all, he loved his family with his entire being. He left a mark on everyone who has met him. Bernie was “pure love”.
He leaves behind his sisters, Lea Szemela and Verna Berglund; nieces and nephews, Donald (Chris) Wittkamp, Ronald (Annie) Berglund, Wanda (Bill) Dickinson, Dawn (Jim) Yoshii, Donald (Kerry) Berglund, Kathleen Michalski, Amy (Marc) Moran, PeggyJo (Ricky) Jarrell, Kerry (Rey) Rivera, Tammy Cross, and Rachele Hartleb.
Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, JoAnne (Raul) Guerra, and Kathaleen Monroe; and nieces and nephews, Billy Wittkamp, Cheri King, and Bobby Wittkamp in infancy.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at St. Andrew Anglican Chapel, 11726 Fox River Road, Wilmot, WI, from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service at 1:00 p.m.
“KNM 6171, The Big Man Base, I’m 10-7”
