Walter Roy Winn

Walter Roy Winn passed away at his home in Stone Mountain, Georgia on July 16, 2026 after a hard-fought battle with cancer.

Walter was born on July 25, 1940 to Evelyn Laurie Hannah Winn and Royal Franklin Winn of Decatur, GA, joining older brother Kenneth and fraternal twin William, to be followed by younger sister Judy. Walter proudly graduated from Decatur High School in 1958, and not long after met Ellen Virginia Buchanan. They married on April 2, 1960 and spent the next 64 years together before her death in 2024.

Walter spent his entire working life as an accountant, starting at Sockwell Enterprises and spending the final 20+ years with Georgia Power Company. He retired from Georgia Power in January of 2007.

Walter had a wide variety of interests and passions throughout his life, all centered around staying connected to the past. He was a stalwart supporter of his alma mater Decatur High School, organizing reunions, staying in touch with classmates, and participating as a booster for several sports. Until the last few months of his life, he and some classmates would meet for their 5th Friday Lunch. Walter was also passionate about genealogy and traced his family heritage all the way back to Charlemagne. This passion led him to create The Four Winns website and countless volumes of family tree data. He connected with Winn relatives all over the country, while maintaining deep relationships with his siblings and their families. Throughout their marriage, he and Ellen traveled far and wide antiquing, genealogy hunting, headstone cleaning, leaf peeping, camping, and cruising Alaska and the Caribbean. He stayed active until his final days, navigating the streets of Atlanta better than any GPS. Throughout it all, Walter relaxed by listening to his favorite country music and watching old westerns.

Walter is survived by his and Ellen's children, James Marcus Winn and wife Abbe Williams Winn; Richard Alan Winn; Stephen Cameron Winn and husband Colin Russell Ferguson; by their grandchildren Reverend Mary Margaret Winn and husband Reverend Samuel Rixey Sheridan; Kathryn Crawford Winn Hogan and husband Paul Hartley Hogan; by their great-grandchildren James Malcolm Winn Sheridan, Rixey Elizabeth Winn Sheridan, and Emma Grace Hogan; by his brother Kenneth Franklin Winn; and by his sister-in-law Margie Ann Winn (William). He is predeceased by his wife Ellen; his parents; and his siblings William Cameron Winn, Judith Winn Cliatt and husband John Thomas Cliatt, and his sister-in-law Judy Smith Winn (Kenneth).

Walter made connections wherever he went and was a good, loyal friend to many. He will be sorely missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.

Family and friends are invited to a visitation on Friday, August 7th, 2026 from 12:30-2:00 at A.S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home, 2773 North Decatur Road, Decatur, Georgia. A Memorial service will take place immediately following the visitation on Friday, August 7th, 2026 at 2:00, also at A.S. Turner and Sons.