William Walter Maywhort

On August 15, 2026, William Walter “Bill” Maywhort passed away peacefully in Athens, Georgia.

Bill was born on July 18, 1946, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His family moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, shortly afterward, and there, he grew up among the tall trees and kudzu of Missionary Ridge. He attended McCallie School, where his mother was the librarian. Following his high school graduation in 1964, Bill attended the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1968.

The summer after graduation, Bill married Diane Buchanan of Chattanooga, and together they had two children, Blair and Andrea. He earned his law degree from the University of North Carolina and later a Master of Laws degree at Yale Law School. He then held a variety of Air Force assignments at the base, wing, and headquarters levels.

As an Air Force Judge Advocate, Bill represented the Air Force in a variety of administrative proceedings and courts-martial, beginning at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas and later working on a national scale in federal court litigation involving real estate and environmental matters at Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, in Washington, D.C. Although he separated from the Air Force as a major in 1978, his years at the Air Force Academy and his subsequent service remained a defining part of Bill’s life. The friendships he made during those years lasted a lifetime.

Bill’s years at the Academy began a lifelong love of Colorado, and after leaving active duty, he joined the law firm of Holland & Hart LLP in Denver and moved his young family to the suburbs. Over the course of the next 35 years, Bill practiced commercial litigation in matters ranging from securities to skiing and from leveraged buyouts to natural resources. During this period, he was actively involved in several professional associations, including the National Lawyers Association, where he also served as a board member and president.

Beyond the practice of law, Bill served multiyear terms as a member of the board (including as vice chairman) of the Air Force Academy Association of Graduates and as a member of the board (and executive committee) of the USAFA Endowment (now known as the Air Force Academy Foundation). Additionally, at various times, he was a deacon in his local Presbyterian church.

In 2006, Bill found love for a second time with Diana Tucker Credle Maywhort, and they were married for 20 years. They enjoyed spending time with their five grandchildren and traveled often, making homes in Colorado Springs, St. Simons Island, and eventually, Athens, Georgia.

Bill loved planes, the military, and history, and would happily read any book that involved one or all of those categories. He collected stamps and loved a good road trip. His ideal Sunday involved church, his riding lawn mower, and watching the Denver Broncos from the sofa in his living room. He was a true grill master and always appreciated a good steak. Bill was happiest in the company of those he loved—his dogs, his friends, and of course, his family.

Bill was known for his easygoing nature, kindness, generosity, and sense of humor. He built dollhouses for the little girls in his life and would lend his log cabin in Twin Lakes to anyone who asked. And because he knew a little (or a lot) about just about everything, he was an excellent conversationalist. Bill was quietly confident in knowing who he was, where he came from, and where he was going, and he knew how fortunate he had been in the people who shared his life.

Bill will be deeply missed by his children, Christopher Blair Maywhort, Andrea Scully, and Ben Credle, and by Ben’s wife, Kim. “Papa Bill” had a joyful connection with his grandchildren: Kendall Maywhort, Fiona and Vivienne Scully, and Will and Gwen Credle. He also had a lifelong bond with his sister and brother-in-law, Marilyn and Fred Keith, as well as his nieces and nephews: Ryan and Beth Ann Keith, Kristin and David Higdon, and Jeff and Kathryn Keith, along with their families. Diane Buchanan Maywhort, the mother of his children, also survives him.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Diana Tucker Credle Maywhort, and his parents, John Arthur Maywhort Jr. and Helen Margaret Wooten Maywhort. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Colorado Springs, where he will be interred at the U.S. Air Force Academy Cemetery.

Online condolences can be left at the website of Lord & Stephens West Funeral Home. www.lordandstephens.com. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his name to the Air Force Academy Foundation or to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.