March 25, 1927 ~ January 25, 2026 (age 98)
Walter Cullars Dorsey of Opelika, Alabama, age 98, passed away on January 25, 2026 at his home after a brief illness. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia on March 25, 1927 to John Thornton Dorsey and Dorothy Kate Cullars Dorsey, and was the younger of two brothers. He attended Opelika City Schools and, upon graduating from Clift High School (now Opelika High School) in 1945, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served at P.T. Boat Base 17, Bobon Bay in the Philippine Islands until the end of World War Two. After his discharge from the Navy, he served in the United States Naval Reserve for eight years.
Mr. Dorsey was a 1950 graduate of Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University) with a B. S. degree in Industrial Management. While at API, he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity. Upon graduating from API, he began his work career in the Bleachery Business Office at the Pepperell Manufacturing Company in Opelika. In 1957, he and his father founded John Dorsey and Son Farm Supply in Opelika, where he worked until his retirement in 1993. After his work retirement, he remained active in genealogical research, bird watching, and entertaining his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mr. Dorsey was an active member of First Baptist Church, Opelika, where he served as a Deacon, Trustee, and Adult Choir member. He was a longtime member of the Opelika Rotary Club and a charter member of the Richard Henry Lee Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. He also held memberships in the Society of the Cincinnati, the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the Opelika Arts Association, the Opelika Historical Preservation Society, as well as numerous other civic and historical organizations. Mr. Dorsey was an Eagle Scout and served as an appointed legal guardian for Disabled Veterans for 46 years.
Mr. Dorsey is survived by his two children: Walter Cullars Dorsey, Jr. (Amy) and Lou Thames Dorsey Hamlet (Dennis), all of Opelika; four grandchildren: Mary Turner Barron Pigg (Tyler) of College Station, Texas, Dorsey Kate Barron of Opelika, John Thornton Barron (Alysa) of Opelika, and Cole Richardson Dorsey (Amberli) of Auburn; five great-grandchildren: John Ellis Pigg, Caroline Louise Pigg, Charlotte Jane Barron, Jack Hollis Barron, and Bo Layne Dorsey; a special niece: Frances Waller Dorsey Burrows (John) of Halifax, Nova Scotia; and a special cousin: Dorothy Cullars Waugh of Canton, Georgia. He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Ann Turner Dorsey, his parents, and his older brother John Thornton Dorsey, Jr.
A celebration of life service for Mr. Dorsey will be held Monday, February 2, 2026 at 11:00 AM in the Worship Center of First Baptist Church Opelika. Reverends Cade Farris and Dr. Larry Williams will officiate. Pall bearers will be John Thornton Barron, Cole Richardson Dorsey, Dallas Dorsey, Bill Poe, Ron McCollum, and Steve Ward. A family visitation will precede the funeral service beginning at 9:00 AM in the Worship Center.
In lieu of flowers, the family gratefully requests memorial gifts to the BraveHeart Center for Place and Purpose through the Auburn University Foundation or your favorite charity.
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