Dr. Bill Waters, a son and father of internists, practiced medicine in Atlanta 44 years, then in retirement embarked on a prolific writing career.
In 1999, he penned "The Grand Disguise," in which he lamented the excessive cost of health care and offered solutions that center on individual patients, not HMO reform.
Other books followed: the 2005 novel "Before I Sleep," an account of an internist on call 24 hours; "The Doctor Is In," a compilation of medical columns he penned for the Newnan Times-Herald; and the latest, "Two Days That Ruined Your Health Care," which relatives say has sold nearly 20,000 copies.
In his writing Dr. Waters drew on his own medical expertise -- what he'd witnessed, been part of and helped facilitate while practicing internal medicine and nephrology, the treatment of the kidneys. Medicine was the primary focus for the third-generation Atlantan.
"He was a Renaissance man, but his main item and his main love, next to family, was his medicine and helping people," said Sarah Ann Bankston Waters, his wife of 61 years.
On Tuesday, Dr. William C. "Bill" Waters III died of complications from prostate cancer at his home in Newnan. He was 81. A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at First United Methodist Church of Newnan. McKoon Funeral Home of Newnan is in charge of arrangements.
Dr. Waters graduated from Emory University School of Medicine and practiced medicine at Piedmont Hospital from 1970 until his retirement in 2002. For seven years he was chairman of internal medicine at Piedmont and for 20 years served on its governing board.
He was Piedmont board chairman for three years. The hospital, which opened the Waters Pavilion, a floor of executive suites, in 2007, is flying its flags at half-staff to honor the doctor.
As an Emory faculty member, he played a role in the development of the artificial kidney program and led the nephrology team for the first kidney transplant program in the Southeast. In later years, he was part of Emory's volunteer faculty as a mentor and lecturer.
"Simply stated, he was the gold standard for internists and a great diagnostician," said Dr. Jonas Shulman, a retired professor at Emory's medical school.
Even before his books, the violinist and bluegrass music lover had written numerous papers on internal medicine and nephrology. He contributed to "The Heart," a textbook edited by Drs. J. Willis Hurst and R. Bruce Logue.
Earlier this month, Dr. Waters stopped writing his column for the Newnan Times-Herald because of health issues. A Times-Herald editorial called him an "extraordinary man."
"He has impacted numerous lives as a physician, an educator, a writer, a family man, a friend and a remarkable human being," the paper said.
Other survivors include a son, Dr. William C. Waters IV of Carrollton; a daughter, Sarah Walker Waters McEntire of Newnan; and two grandchildren.
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