William "Bill" Wayne Drinkwater

William Wayne Drinkwater, 92, passed away on December 29, 2015 after an illness.  Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 2, 2016 at First Christian Church of Meridian.

Bill was born May 14, 1923, the only son of William Woods Drinkwater and Vera Rawlings Drinkwater.  He graduated from Meridian High School and Mississippi State University, where he majored in mechanical engineering and financed his college education by playing trombone in swing bands around the Southeast.

Bill served as an Army officer in World War II, stationed in the Philippines.  In October 1944, while on a 72-hour pass, he married the love of his life, Margaret Dement, to whom he would be happily married for the next 68 years.  After the war, he earned a master’s degree from the University of Delaware, then taught mechanical engineering at Mississippi State.  He was never happier than as a college professor.

However, the addition of two children made continued teaching a financial impossibility, and in 1954 he moved his family to Meridian.  There, he practiced engineering, later purchasing and operating a successful heating and air conditioning firm.

After retirement, Bill rekindled his musical interest.  For 35 years, he played in the 60-piece Meridian Community College band and the MCC jazz ensemble.  He also performed in Meridian Little Theater and MCC orchestras.   In 1984, he and other members of the MCC jazz group performed at the World’s Fair in New Orleans.  In 1991, the group was one of a small number of college jazz bands invited to perform at Carnegie Hall.  Bill played at public performances into his 90s.

Bill was a man of integrity who loved his family, his church, his music and his community.  He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Margaret.  He is survived by his sons William Wayne Drinkwater, Jr. (Ouida), Robert Dement Drinkwater (Pat) and John Clark Drinkwater (Patricia); and grandchildren Jennifer Dement Drinkwater, William Woods Drinkwater, William Dement Drinkwater, Christina Drinkwater Johnson (John) and Anna Drinkwater Gibson (Zachary).

The family requests that memorials be made to First Christian Church or to the Meridian Community College Foundation.  Visitation will be held at the church from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, prior to the service.  Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at robertbarhamffh.com.