A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, June 9, 2012 at First Presbyterian Church.
Walter was born in Louisville, Kentucky on October 4, 1924. His parents were William Morton Hannah, III and Elizabeth Hunt Stites.
Walter grew up in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky as one of five children. He attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute (now Virginia Tech) for one year before receiving his draft notice.
Walter served honorably in the United States Army during World War II. Following basic training at Camp Roberts in the California desert, he spent time in Syracuse, NY and Fort Benning, GA before shipping out to England. As a mechanic in an amphibious truck company, Walter chased the Germans across France and Belgium entering Germany just before VE Day. The Army then shipped him through the Panama Canal to the Philippines where he was preparing for the invasion of the Japanese home islands when the Japanese surrendered.
Upon his return to the United States and honorable discharge from the Army as a Technical Sergeant, Walter enrolled at Washington & Lee University using the GI Bill to complete his undergraduate and law degrees. On December 28, 1946, Walter married Nancy Barksdale Edmunds of Lynchburg, Virginia.
Upon graduation from W&L, Walter and Nancy moved to Raleigh, NC where Walter became an adjuster for USF&G while awaiting fulfillment of the then existing residency requirements and passage of the Bar Exam. In 1953, Walter and Nancy moved to Greensboro where he hung out his shingle and began a lifelong career as an attorney and councilor at law. Walter began his career as a sole practitioner, before becoming the first associate with the firm of King, Kleemeier & Hagan. This firm evolved through the years becoming Adams, Kleemeier, Hagan, Hannah & Fouts, which is now Nexsen Pruet.
Walter allegedly retired at the age of 70 as senior partner of Adams Kleemeier, though he continued in an of counsel role until 2008 and during those years served throughout the state and nationally as a mediator and arbitrator.
Walter was active in the Greensboro Bar Association serving on its Executive Committee.
Walter was active in the North Carolina Bar Association which he served as a vice-president, section chair, committee chair and as an active member of numerous committees and task forces. He was part of the group which formed the Construction Law Section of the NCBA. He is a member of the NCBA’s General Practice Hall of Fame and was the first recipient of the Construction Law Section’s Coman Award for distinguished service in the practice of Construction Law. In 2008, a Justice Fund was established by the North Carolina Bar Association in his honor.
Walter was recognized nationally as a Fellow of the College of Construction Law and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He held leadership roles in the American Bar Association’s Public Contract Section and the Forum on the Construction Industry.
Walter was a civic leader in Greensboro. First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro benefited from his contributions in numerous roles, including Ruling Elder, Deacon and Trustee. He is a past president of the Young Men’s Bible Class.
Walter served as a Scoutmaster at both White Memorial Presbyterian Church in Raleigh and at First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro. He also served as an Explorer Post leader. The Old North State Council of the Boy Scouts of America honored Walter for his long service to that organization and his dedication not just to scouting, but to the individual scouts. For years, Walter matched Eagle Scout candidates to sponsors making sure that the sponsor and scout had as much in common as possible. Walter was awarded the Silver Beaver, one of the highest honors awarded by the Boy Scouts of America. He was instrumental in establishing the Charles T. Hagan Sea Scout Base on High Rock Lake.
Through the years, Walter served as an active Jaycee, a leader in the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, and a leader in the Jaycee’s Old Timers. Walter also was active in local Democratic Party politics. He was an active alumnus of W&L. Among his roles with the University, he served as the President of the Washington Society, was a past chair of the Law Council, and the local alumni chapter president. Walter was for years an active Kiwanian.
Walter is survived by his wife, Nancy Edmunds Hannah, two children, son, Walter Lewis Hannah, Jr., and wife, Pat C. Hannah, and daughter, Nan E. Hannah and two grandsons, Patrick Tyler Hannah and wife, Maddy Artunduago-Hannah, and Lewis Alexander Hannah and wife, Elizabeth Martin Hannah. Walter is also survived by his brothers William M. Hannah, IV, John S. Hannah, and sister, Mildred Ann (Nancy) Forsyth, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister Frances H. Lamason.
Friends will gather in the Virginia Gilmer room at the church following the memorial service.
Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 611 N. Elm St., Greensboro, NC; the Old North State Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Office, P.O. Box 29046 Greensboro, NC 27429; Well-Spring Retirement Community, 4100 Well Spring Dr., Greensboro, NC 27410; or the charity of the donor’s choice.
On line condolences may be sent to www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com.
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