Walter Garyotis

Walter B. Garyotis died May 14, 2021 at Gwinnett Extended Care, Lawrenceville, GA. Funeral services will be Wednesday, May 19th in Tuscaloosa, AL at Magnolia Chapel Funeral Home South with Dr. Curtis Kelley officiating. Burial will be at Mt. Hebron Cemetery in Akron, AL. Visitation will be at 10:00AM, one hour prior to the funeral service.

Mr. Garyotis was preceded in death by his parents Walter J. and Pearl Boardman Garyotis; sister, Dorothy Garyotis; and a special aunt, Dr. Emelia Giryotis. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Baker Garyotis; son, Corey Garyotis (Montgomery, AL); daughters, Sandy (Bill) Donatucci (Buford, GA), Sherry (Phil) Shore, (Dallas, TX), and Karen Roberts (Fredericksburg, TX); six grandchildren, Connor Garyotis (Jacksonville, FL), Kyle (Elizabeth) Donatucci (Atlanta, GA), Noah and Ashley Donatucci (Buford, GA), Jason (Carmen) Healy (Sterling, IL), Derek Healy (Chicago, IL); four great grandchildren, Laurie, Cody, Liam, and Jena Healy.

Walter was born in Chicago, IL. He attended the University of Wisconsin (Plattville) and graduated from the University of Missouri (Rolla) in 1951. Prior to college, he served six years as a U.S. Navy pilot in anti-submarine warfare with the Atlantic Fleet Airwing Mediterranean, Morocco which included a mission as part of the convoy escort of President Roosevelt to the 1945 Yalta Conference in Crimea.

Walter married Patricia Baker in Birmingham, AL on July 5, 1957 and shortly after began his career with Alcoa Construction Engineering Department in Port Lavaca, TX for 18 months. After Texas they were transferred to Suriname (South America) for 8 years where they were blessed with their son, Corey, and daughter, Sandy. Walter was a member of the U.S. National Safety Council and while in Suriname earned five of the Council's awards for the most-safe man-hours worked annually. He moved his family back to Alcoa's headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA where he remained for the remainder of his 31-year career with Alcoa as their Construction Safety Manager.

During his career he oversaw the management and monitoring of construction safety activities for 12 domestic projects and 5 international projects for Alcoa requiring travel throughout the U.S. and to three other continents and the Caribbean. He assisted in developing the National and International Construction Safety Standards through his involvement in the American National Standards Institute, National Safety Council/Construction Division, Business Roundtable, American Society of Safety Engineers, International Safety Technical Exchange, and OSHA's Construction Regulations Review and Construction Building Trades Committees.

Walter assisted with development of training programs for Construction Safety Standards at Penn State University, Stanford University, University of West Virginia, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He was appointed by President Nixon to provide training workshops with the Bureau of International Affairs in Brazil for 6 weeks in five different Brazilian cities.

Walter made his profession of faith in 1957 in Port Lavaca, TX. While in Suriname he assisted in providing worship space at various homes to assist the local missionaries who conducted services for the Americans living in Parimaribo, Suriname. Upon his family's return to the United States he was a charter member of Lakeside Baptist Church and later transferred to Pittsburgh Baptist Church. Upon his retirement, he and Patricia returned to Tuscaloosa, AL where they became members at Calvary Baptist. They were faithful members there for 26 years before relocating to Lawrenceville, GA. One of Walter's favorite songs while at the Gwinnett Extended Care was "Count Your Blessings" which he sang often and was joined in singing by other residents and nurses. He regularly expressed his faith in Jesus there by encouraging other residents and quoting a favorite scripture..."this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it" from Psalm 118.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse (www.samaritanspurse.org) or to your own favorite Christian ministry.