Biography: Walter S. Nunnelly, III, Jr. (Wad), age passed away peacefully on October 1,2024. He was the son of Betty Jane Cox Nunnelly and Walter S. Nunnelly, Il, both deceased, of the Vernon/Nunnelly Community in Tennessee. Walter is survived by his wife, Sarah Chaffin Nunnelly of Little Rock, Arkansas and Sister-in-Law, Rosann Bond Nunnelly of Naples, Florida. His brother, William (Bill) Henry Nunnelly, Il is deceased.

Walter grew up on his ancestral family's farm (1844) in the Vernon/Nunnelly Community on the Piney River in Tennessee. The town of Nunnelly was named for his Great, Great Grandfather, Lawson Nunnelly, in 1879.

Walter graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1966 with a B.A. Degree. After completing his military service in the United States Air Force, he began working for the Robert Orr/Sysco Foodservice Company in Nashville, Tennessee. He progressed through the corporate ranks as Vice President of Marketing, Vice President of Sales and was named Executive Vice President in 1985. He lived in Franklin, Tennessee from 1978 until 1995. In 1995, he and Sarah moved to Little Rock, Arkansas where he served as President and CEO of Sysco Foodservice of Arkansas and retired in 2005 after 36 years of service with the Sysco Corporation.

While in Tennessee, he was on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Hotel and Motel Association from 1982 to 1995; Board of Directors of Easter Seals of Tennessee and Board of Directors of the Middle Tennessee Second Harvest Food Bank.

In Arkansas, he was a Commissioner of the Little Rock Advertising and Promotion Commission from 1998 to 2006; a UAMS Foundation Board Director for 16 years; a UAMS Jones Eye Institute Board of Director; UAMS Chancellor's Club Circle Member; UAMS Member of the Society of the Double Helix; a member of the Board of Trustees of the First Methodist Church of Little Rock; Easter Seals of Arkansas Board of Directors, 1998-2006; THEA Foundation Board of Directors from 2006-2012; CARTI Operating Board of Directors from 2006 to 2012; American Taekwondo Association International (ATA)(WMA) Board of Directors; Downtown Club 99 Rotary Club Member-Paul Harris Fellow and Sid Brooks Fellow, Arkansas Symphony Gold Baton Society; member of the Arkansas Executive Forum of the Walton Business School of the University of Arkansas; member of the SEF Investment Club at the Pleasant Valley Country Club. Walter was also a true champion for the underserved by the many organizations and charities that he and Sarah supported.

Walter loved raising Black Angus cattle, all sports, hunting, reading, collecting metal toy soldiers, collecting baseball cards (1954-1957) and traveling. He and his wife traveled to six continents and 36 countries. One of the highlights of their travels was an outstanding "Around the World Trip" for 24 days in 2012 with 76 other passengers on a private Boeing 747. They traveled to Peru (Machu Picchu); Easter Island (Moai); Samoa and Robert Louis Stevenson's Home; Cairns, Australia and the Great Barrier Reef; Cambodia (Angkor Wat Temples); Jaipur and Agra, India (Taj Mahal) and played polo riding on the back of elephants; Tanzania and witnessed the great migration; Luxor and Cairo and the Valley of the Kings and Pyramids and Fez, Morocco.

Walter is also survived by Sister-in-Law Lucinda Chaffin of Nashville; Nephew Sharpe Belote of Denver CO; Brother-in-Law Bruce Chaffin (Carolyn) of Gallatin, TN; Nephew Brian Chaffin (Joan) and Grand Nieces Addison and Avery; Niece Christie Mitchell (Chris) and Grand Nieces Carlie and Lucy of Nashville TN. Cousin Leonora Green Clifford (Tony) and John M. Green, III of Franklin TN; Cousin Douglas T. Bates, W (Molly) of Centerville TN; Cousin Walter Nunnelly Wallace, I (Pam) of Nashville TN; Cousin Emily Waggener of Covington TN; Cousins Curry and Miller Moore of Erin TN; Cousin Albert Ambrose (Frances) and Mae Ambrose of Nashville TN; Cousin Anne Bourland (Bob) of Fort Worth TX; Cousin David Peeples (Emily) of San Antonio TX; Cousin Dick Peeples of Dallas TX; Cousin Baker Peeples (Ellen) of San Francisco CA; Cousin Jeff Bourland (Karen) of Fort Worth TX.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 21, 2024 at 12 PM at Nunnelly United Methodist Church, 1323 Hwy 230 West, Nunnelly TN 37137. Burial will be at the Nunnelly Family Cemetery at Vernon TN.

Donations can be made to the Nunnelly Methodist Church, Hwy 230 West, Nunnelly TN 37137.

Arrangements are under the direction of RuebelFuneralHome.com