Walker Grady Carter, Jr.
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Walker Grady Carter, Jr., 91, passed away on December 18, 2019, after a long battle with cancer, surrounded by family in Statesboro, Georgia.
Walker was born on May 1, 1928 to Walker Grady Carter, Sr. and Esther Stuart Carter in Americus, Georgia and raised on the family farm in Sumter County, He was always at home in the agricultural fields, and as a boy was proud of his mule, Uncle Sam.
Walker attended Abraham Baldwin College in Tifton, Georgia where he worked his way through school butchering meat at the college farm. He received his Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering in 1951 from the University of Georgia. He then served in the United States Air Force from 1951-1955 during the Korean War working as a Radio Mechanic and rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant while stationed in Japan,.
After returning from Japan, Walker began a 34-year career as an Agricultural and Civil Engineer for the USDA Soil Conservation Service (SCS). He provided his engineering expertise and passion for the terrain of Georgia throughout his home state, from Tifton to Athens. He transferred to his last SCS post in 1973 and served as Statesboro Area Agricultural Engineer until 1989. He was a member of the Soil Conservation Society of America and the National Association of Conservation.
Walker met his wife of 49 years, Sara Joanne Holt, when they both worked for the SCS in Athens, Georgia. They worked together on the Lake Tobesofkee Dam project, where Walker's engineering of the dam sluice was visualized by Joanne's drafting of the design. On subsequent family trips to the area, Walker would proudly proclaim this was his favorite project because he and his future-wife worked on it together. Their work partnership was encouraged by a co-worker who lived in the same apartment building as Joanne and her five-year old son Gary. From the time they married in July 1959, Walker always treated Gary as his own son.
Walker was an active member of Pittman Park United Methodist Church, where he was dedicated to his church family as a longtime member of the Woody Powell Sunday School class and XYZ social club.
Walker enjoyed traveling the world with his Joanne and their family as much as he did tending his Statesboro home garden and square dancing in the living room with life-long friends. Always a gentleman, with a gentle, polite and smiling spirit, Walker was loved beyond measure by all he met.
He adored his family and his joy in being an integral part of his sons' lives, He had enormous respect for each one of them, shined with pride when sharing family memories. Surviving are children, Gary Gerrard (Karen Green) of Lexington, Ga.; Walker Grady Carter III (Rossana) of Macon, Ga.; and Gregory Holt Carter (Patricia) of Statesboro, Ga.; grandchildren Ashton Kiesner (Joel) of Friendsville, Tenn., Elijah and Emma Carter of Macon, Ga.; Olivia Carter of Statesboro, Ga.; and Dylan Carter (Anna) of Alpharetta, Ga; great-grandchildren, Alexis and Ellawynn Kiesner of Friendsville, Tenn. His sisters Mary Eddie Carter and Jane Carter Broadhurst (Frank) predeceased him. His sister Mittie Carter Wallace (Henry) of Ellaville, Georgia.
Visitation will bee held on Saturday, December 21, from 3-5 p.m. at Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home in Statesboro.
The funeral service will be Sunday, December 22, at 2 p.m. at Pittman Park Methodist Church in Statesboro with the Reverend Stephanie Smith officiating.
The body will lie in state at the church one hour prior to the service. Entombment will be in Bulloch Memorial Gardens following the funeral service.
Honorary Pallbearers are Barrie Bloser, Tricia Duggan, Dr. Craig Kellogg, Pryor Murphree, Walt Strickland, and Fred Wallace.
Walker was a tireless volunteer and advocate for the Statesboro Food Bank. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Statesboro Food Bank. Donations can be made online at statesborofoodbank.org
Please visit the online register at www.joineranderson.com to sign the guest book and share your thoughts and fond memories with the family.
Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home of Statesboro is in charge of arrangements.