Jack Atwater, Jr.

JOHN WILSON ATWATER, JR. (Jack) John Wilson Atwater, Jr., DDS (Jack), 88, of Asheboro, died Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at Hospice of Randolph County, Asheboro, NC. Dr. Atwater was a native of Burlington, NC and son of the late Carolyn Booth Atwater and John Wilson Atwater, Sr. He was a 1948 graduate of Fishburne Military School, a 1952 graduate of the University of North Carolina, and a 1958 graduate of the University of North Carolina Dental School. Before attending dental school, Jack enlisted in the Air Force where he quickly rose to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Upon graduation from dental school, he moved to Asheboro, established a private dental practice, and became active in the community. He was a faithful member of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd for over 60 years, where he served as a Vestryman and Senior Warden. Dr. Atwater was highly accomplished in his career, known widely for his exemplary precision in prosthodontics. He was a member of the American Dental Association, the North Carolina Dental Society, where he received the Meritorious Achievement Award, the Southeastern Academy of Prosthodontics, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, the American College of Dentists, and the Randolph County Dental Society, where he was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award. An active civic leader, Jack was a member of the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce, part of the Asheboro Kiwanis Club, where he once served as President, and a longstanding member of the Board of Trustees of the Randolph-Asheboro YMCA. He was on the Founding Committee of the YMCA and served in various other capacities, including Chairman of the Endowment Fund and President. Jack served on the Organization Committee and as President of MERCE Clinic, and was a member of the Asheboro City Schools Board of Education. Among Jack's interests were golf, travel, fine dining, and the Carolina Tar Heels. He was a devoted husband and father, a doting grandfather, and loyal friend to many. In retirement, Jack participated in 3 month-long mission trips to a dental clinic in Santarem, Brazil. Jack is survived by his wife of 13 years, Gail Minier Atwater; daughter, Anna Louise Atwater and her son Andres Alexander Arriaga-Atwater; son, John Wilson Atwater, III and his wife Ana Campbell Atwater, and their children Katherine Atwater Williams (and her husband Kyle), and Carmen Louise Atwater. He is predeceased by Louise Pickard Atwater, to whom he was married for 53 years. A memorial service celebrating Jack's life will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 16 at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 505 Mountain Road, Asheboro, with the Reverend Joe T. Mitchell and Rev. John N. Ogburn, Jr. officiating. The family will receive friends at a reception immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 505 Mountain Road, Asheboro, NC 27205; the Randolph-Asheboro YMCA Endowment Fund, PO Box 1152, Asheboro, NC 27204; the Children's Home Society of North Carolina, PO Box 14608, Greensboro, NC 27415; or Hospice of Randolph County, PO Box 9, Asheboro, NC 27204. Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro is serving the Atwater family.