Walter Gray Sanford III, age 70, died Monday, July 23, 2018. A native of Smyrna, he was preceded in death by his parents, Walter Gray Sanford II and Ann Coleman Sanford.

Gray was a graduate of Peabody Demonstration High School and a 1972 graduate with honors from the University of Tennessee. At UT, he was active in the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and remained an avid UT football fan. Gray worked in specialty advertising with Sanders Manufacturing Company in Nashville and retired after forty years of service.

Although an only child, his extended family included a large group of loving and supportive cousins. He was as special to them, as they were to him.

A Celebration of Life will be Thursday morning, July 26, at Woodfin Chapel in Smyrna. Visitation will be from 9:00am to 11:00am with funeral service at 11:00am. Burial will follow in Mapleview Cemetery. Dr. Coleman Wise will officiate the service.

Pall bearers will be David Coleman, Larry Coleman, Bill Davis, Rick Wise, David Davenport, Drew Davenport, Carter Stevens, Rob Thomson, Chuck Clark and Shannon Stevens.

Honorary pall bearers are his Sigma Phi Epsilon brothers, Terry Rigsby, Morris Guinn, Gil Cothran and his son Joshua Gray Cothran.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Gray can be made to Sarah Cannon Research Institute at Tennessee Oncology, 250 25th Ave North, Nashville, TN 37203.