William Walcott III

William Hunt Walcott III, 76, of New Market, known as "Bill," passed from this life on December 8, due to complications from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). He was the husband of Dr. Yasuko N. Walcott.

Born in Charleston, South Carolina on March 28, 1942, Bill was the son of the late William Hunt Walcott Jr. and Barbara (Caton) Walcott.

Bill grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Philippines, and Hong Kong, due to his father’s assignments for an import-export company. During his time in Asia, Bill developed a love of the water, especially swimming, snorkeling, and travel by sea. Bill attended Randolph-Macon College and transferred to Stanford University, where he earned a BA in Japanese Studies in 1964. After college, Bill taught middle school on Guam, where his family had relocated. Bill later served in the U.S. Army infantry for two years and was stationed in Germany.

In 1969, Bill married Yasuko Nadayoshi, whom he had met at church, while they were college students in California. They spent the first years of their marriage in Las Vegas, New Mexico, where Bill earned a MA in Higher Education and a MA in Reading and English as a Second Language (ESL) at New Mexico Highlands University. Bill and Yasuko moved in 1971 to Maryland, where Bill began a 35-year career as a professor at Montgomery College. Bill taught reading, ESL, and English composition, and served as a Department Chair for over 10 years. An enthusiastic traveler and avid reader, Bill also loved puns and crossword puzzles. He was a long-time member of Damascus United Methodist Church and was a member of the Libertytown Unionville Lions Club.

In addition to his beloved wife of 49 years, Bill is survived by his son, Michael Walcott (Alison) of Portland, OR, and his daughter, Naomi Walcott (Audu Besmer) of Washington DC; four grandchildren, Caleb, Joby, and Noah Walcott, and Marguerite Besmer; and two sisters, Barbara Walcott (Edwin Sapp) and Jean Wilson (David).

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 15 at 11:00 AM at Damascus United Methodist Church, 9700 New Church Street, Damascus, MD. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: Damascus United Methodist Church (9700 New Church Street, Damascus, MD 20872); or the New Market District Volunteer Fire Company (76 West Main Street, New Market, MD 21774).