Remembering Boulder Shooting Victim Jody Waters

Boulder CO

24 March, 2021

5:21 PM

Description

BOULDER, CO — A row of 10 crosses line a fence outside the Boulder grocery store where 10 people were killed in a mass shooting Monday. One of those crosses is dedicated to Jody Waters, 65, who was known for being a role model to her younger coworkers and giving great advice, her friends said. Before the coronavirus pandemic, Waters worked at Island Farm, a boutique in downtown Boulder. The store staff was like a family, and Waters helped it feel like home, her staff said. "She immediately took me under her wing, treating me like her own daughter," said Madeline Soultz, 23, a former sales associate whose family lives far away. Store manager Lily Rood, 26, said Waters, who had two daughters and a son, was "a mother to all the girls here." Island Farm opened its doors Tuesday to customers, friends and loved ones who came to reminisce about Waters — her penchant for collecting heart-shaped leaves on hikes, her animal-print decor at home, her get-togethers with co-workers over margaritas and the advice she gave. "You could go to her with any problem," Soultz said. Waters wasn't shy about letting people know if they made mistakes, but "she knew your potential, even if you didn't know it." "The world got dimmer without her," Boutique owner Jen Haney said. Gov. Jared Polis ordered Tuesday all flags lowered to half staff for 10 days in honor of each of the 10 people who lost their lives in the Boulder grocery store shooting. The following victims were identified: Eric Talley, 51Denny Stong, 20Neven Staisic, 23Rikki Olds, 25Tralona Bartkowiak, 49Suzanne Fountain, 59Teri Leiker, 51Kevin Mahoney, 61Lynn Murray, 62Jody Waters, 65 "This loss is especially painful for the friends and family members left behind," Polis said in a statement. "As Governor, I offer my special condolences to all of those who suffered loss, but this is truly a loss for all of us, and we mourn the ten who died as a state and a nation. This has been a painful year, and we sit here once again surrounded by seemingly incomprehensible loss. "We can never let ourselves become numb to this pain, because we simply can't let this be accepted as anything close to a normal occurrence. We know there will be many hard days in the weeks and months ahead, but today let us remember the ten men and women who are no longer with us." President Joe Biden also issued a proclamation Tuesday ordering all flags lowered to half-staff in remembrance of the Boulder shooting victims. Donation campaigns are underway to help those affected by Monday's deadly shooting — learn more about how you can help here. The Associated Press contributed to this report.