Larry Wayne Waterman

Commander Larry Wayne Waterman died November 7, 2024. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy in 1956 and was commissioned an Officer in the United States Navy in 1960. He served until honorably discharged in June of 1986.

Memorable tours of duty include working in Tehran, Iran as a part of a liaison force with the Shah of Iran up until the 1979 Iranian Revolution; serving duty during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis; serving off the coast of Vietnam; and participating in providing humanitarian aid to Africa.

Sea duties included serving on the USS ENTERPRISE CVN-65; USS GLENNON DD-840; USS HARRY E. YARNELL CG-17; USS JONAS INGRAM DD-938; USS MARATHON PG-89; and USS WILLIAM C. LAWE DD-763.

Shore duties included the Fleet Operations Control Center, London, England; Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, CA.; Naval ROTC Unit, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID; and the U.S. Technical Advisory Field Team, Tehran, Iran to name a few.

Larry’s service awards included the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, the Navy Unit Commendation, the Navy Expeditionary Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment ribbon, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Larry was born on November 20, 1938, in Celina, Ohio. Before his career in the Navy, Larry worked odd jobs as a teenager, one of which was sweeping the floors at the local furniture factory. The foreman’s daughter, Judy Ann Dumbauld, would become his lifelong love. They met at the high school and their connection was immediate and lasted a lifetime. They shared a love of books, travel, music, food, and family. They married in December of 1960 and when Judy finished her BA at Ohio University, she jumped aboard a coal freighter to meet Larry’s ship in ports all over Europe.

Larry is preceded in death by his loving wife, Judy and survived by his older sister, Karen, and three sons, Dr. David Waterman (CAPT, USN Ret.), Professor Tim Waterman, and Dr. Alex Waterman.

Larry will be interned at 12:00 on Monday, November 11 at Bethlehem Cemetery in Delmar, New York. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Friends of Five Rivers or the Audubon Society.