Dr. Walter McDonald Sanders III

December 5,1930 – June 14, 2023

Walter “Walt” McDonald Sanders III, who resided at Lanier Village Estates in Gainesville, Georgia, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at the age of 92.

Walt was born as an only child on December 5, 1930, on his family’s farm near Bluefield, Virginia to Mary “Bee” Easley Sanders and Walter McDonald Sanders II. He attended high school at McCallie School where he graduated in 1949. He earned a BS degree in civil engineering from Virginia Military Institute (VMI) in 1953. Upon graduating from VMI, Walt received his commission as an officer in the United States Air force, and was stationed at Fort Detrick, Maryland. While there, he met the love of his life, Emily Joyce, whom he married in August 1956. Soon after, he transferred his officer’s commission to a comparable commission in the U.S. Public Health Service, which launched his distinguished career of civil service. He went on to earn a master’s degree in Sanitation Engineering, and PhD in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 1964.

Professionally, Walt was a pioneer and international leader in water quality improvement and environmental science. During his expansive career, he worked with the Public Health Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. State Department and to help establish and direct a Federal research program anchored at a new research laboratory in Athens, Georgia to develop and test aquatic ecosystem models to predict water quality impacts of pollutants discharged into our rivers, lakes and streams. Among many projects he led an effort to address dangerous levels of contamination in the Chesapeake Bay affecting marine life. Internationally, Walt served two years in Brazil, and worked on cooperative research programs with the Egyptian, French, Russian, and Chinese governments. After retirement from the EPA with 32 years Federal Service, he spent the next 19 years as the Senior Consulting Engineer with M.R. Chasman and Associates in Athens, GA. Additionally, while in Athens, Walt worked with the University of Georgia (UGA) from 1967-2005 serving as an Adjunct Professor in the Dept. of Microbiology, was appointed to the Graduate Faculty, and a member of the Toxicology Advisory Committee.

Special Recognition: 1985 - Walt received the USEPA Distinguished Career Award (Civil Service Gold Medal) for contributions in the field of Water Quality Assessments and Modeling; 1995 - M.R. Chasman and Associates received the Consulting Engineers Council Grand Achievement Award “in recognition for the engineering achievements demonstrating the highest degree of merit and ingenuity and providing a major contribution to technical, economic and social advancement” for a project Walt led; and in 2011 received Special Recognition from the UGA Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program for “Years of Service Enhancing the Value and Success of the Graduate Program”.

Walt and Emily created a loving home in Athens, Georgia, where they raised their four children, Emily (Nina), Walter IV (Sandy), Brian, and Steve. Walt had a special love of music and flowers and could calm practically anything on four legs. Early in their marriage while living in Brazil, Walt and Emily began collecting orchids. Using the orchids they brought back from Brazil, they started a family side-business in Athens named "Bee's Business", which specialized in orchids and iris. At one point, it was the largest iris grower in the southeast.

Not only did Walt serve his country, he was also heavily involved in the local community. For 50 years Walt and Emily were devoted members of Friendship Presbyterian Church in Athens, GA, where they sang in the choir, and participated in numerous internal and external leadership programs. He was a founding member and President of the Athens West Rotary Club, served as President of the Jennings Mill Country Club, and was a member of the Athens Torch Club. Among his many contributions, Walt was most proud of having co-founded the Athens Youth Symphony because of the opportunity it afforded gifted young musicians.

Walt will be remembered and celebrated as a man of faith, loving husband and father, servant leader, pioneer of environmental stewardship, and a man of unflinching character at a time when it seems to be in such short supply.

Walt is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 61 years, Emily J. Sanders. He is survived by his four children (and spouses), Nina, Sandy (Dianna), Brian (Susan), and Steve (Emme), a total of seven grandchildren, Grayson (Jessie), Stephanie (Steven), Aubrey, Emily, Mac, Larissa, and Brett, and four great grandchildren, Isaac, Sawyer, Liam, and Emmett.

A private family memorial service will be held in Bluefield, VA.

In lieu of flowers, we would like to invite you to consider making a memorial contribution in his name to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia:

Attention:

Kimberly Parks Futrell

706-542-3977

Donor Relations Coordinator

State Botanical Garden of Georgia

University of Georgia

2450 South Milledge Avenue

Athens, GA 30605