A reflection on the legacy of Stephen “Randy” Waters, D.C.
by Chuck Bustillos, Advancement Campus Coordinator, Palmer West
Stephen “Randy” Waters, D.C., dedicated 45 years of his life to the chiropractic profession, after serving as a Navy Corpsman assigned to the U.S. Marines in Vietnam.
During his collective two-plus decades of service at Palmer West, Randy contributed to the advancement of the campus in two equally impactful roles.
From 1985 to 1988, he served as director of development, joining the Palmer West administrative leadership team at the founding campus in Sunnyvale following five years as executive director of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners in Colorado, where he also maintained a practice.
At the time, I served as coordinator of public relations, which, along with alumni relations and continuing education, fell under Randy’s scope of supervision.
Among other duties, Randy established the former Palmer West Alumni Association, and we worked together on the committee that organized the West homecomings, which spawned our friendship that spanned more than 30 years.
Randy returned to Palmer West in 2004 as one of our clinicians, and the sentiment of this alumnus reflects many whom he mentored: “Dr. Waters was always the clinician that everyone wanted to shadow in school — and for good reason.”
He was a one-of-a kind man of many talents: played guitar. Rode a Harley. Enjoyed traditional (and disc) golf. Maintained a music library more diverse than most streaming services (which he frequently played in the clinic). And could whistle in such remarkably harmonic tones, birds would stop flying to admire.
Randy was scheduled to present the invocation at our winter ’20 commencement (in March).
However, while convalescing after complications from vascular surgery last February, he recognized his frail physical condition would prevent him from participating, which prompted a phone call.
It was a classic example of “Randy being Randy.” He wanted to avoid any inconvenience a delay of his decision might create for me to complete the ceremony’s script and program.
Our conversation lasted nearly half an hour. I encouraged him to rest up so he could attend the West homecoming in May, with his wife, Judi Thurber, D.C. (West, ’81), which led to reminiscing about the successful homecomings that we organized in the past.
I asked if he remembered the name of the band that performed at our 1986 event.
“Remember a band from 35 years ago?! I can barely remember what I had for breakfast!” he replied.
We shared a mutual laugh, which grew louder when I reminded him the band was “Phil ‘n The Blanks.”
At the time, I didn’t know it would be our final conversation.
A few weeks later, on Monday morning, February 24, Dr. Meeker walked into my office and shared the sad news of Randy’s passing a day earlier.
I’m eternally grateful for that fateful conversation I was fortunate to enjoy with Randy — and I can still “hear” his familiar whistling each time I enter the clinic.
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