William Warren Dyal

William Warren Dyal, age 86, of Canton, GA, passed away on December 8, 2025, at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, GA, of congestive heart failure.

Born in Pecos, TX, he was the son of Dr. Albert Thomas Dyal and Ione Walker [Bates] Dyal. He was a preacher's kid and grew up in Bryan, TX, and Bay City, TX. Bill graduated from Bay City High School in 1957 where he played football, ran track and played on the golf team. His college days were spent at Austin College in Sherman, TX, where he graduated in 1961 with a B. A. in Psychology and Mathematics. While in college he served as Secretary of Organizations and Standards, played on the golf team and participated in intramural sports. He was a member of the Drake Fraternity.

Upon graduation from college, Bill was awarded an NIH grant to attend graduate school at Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, to study Biostatistics. This led to his career at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, beginning in 1963, where he joined the Public Health Service as an EIS Officer.

While at CDC Bill was a proven manager of multi-dimensional projects and a recognized leader throughout the Nation's public health community. He had thirty-two years in public health with the CDC including a two year detail to the Texas Department of Health, Austin, TX, two years as a Visiting Professor with the University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX, and five months international experience in Jamaica, Brazil and Switzerland. As a Senior public health official, he represented CDC with organizations such as the National Association of County Health Officials (NACHO), U.S. Conference of Local Health Officers (USCLHO), Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), American Public Health Association (APHA), and the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH). He was instrumental in the development of the Assessment Protocol for Excellence in Public Health (APEXPH), served on the Steering Committee for implementing Healthy Communities 2000: Model Standards, and initiated the development of the CDC Public Health Leadership Institute, the nationally recognized leadership development forum for senior public health officials.

Retiring from CDC in 1996, he embarked on a second career as the Deputy Director of the DeKalb County Board of Health, retiring for the second time in 2006. As Director of Population Based Services, he was responsible for providing the leadership and direction to the following components of the Board of Health: Division of Health Assessment and Promotion; Division of Environmental Health; Center for Public Health Preparedness; Center for Community Health Transformation; and the Office of Vital Records.

In 1961 Bill married his college sweetheart, Lillian Marguerite McEntee, and they enjoyed sixty-three wonderful years together. They loved to travel both internationally and domestically: photographic safaris to East Africa (Tanzania and Kenya), river cruises in Europe and touring the National Parks. Bill especially enjoyed time at Crescent Beach, FL and photographing wildlife in Cades Cove, TN. When not traveling they spent a lot of time boating and fishing on Lake Lanier. Family was most important to Bill. When his children were young, he coached baseball and football in various sports leagues. He taught his children and their friends to water ski. Bill always looked forward to holiday gatherings with family and extended family, children's and grandchildren's activities and family vacations.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. Albert Thomas Dyal and Ione Walker Bates Dyal and a brother, Albert Thomas Dyal, Jr. He is survived by his loving wife, Marguerite Dyal; daughter, Karen Elizabeth Prince (Greg) of Johns Creek, GA; son, Robert Thomas Dyal of Monte Sereno, CA; grandson Ryan Matthew Prince (Elizabeth); granddaughter Kelsey Elizabeth Prince; grandson Pierce William Dyal; granddaughter Skylar Raquel Dyal; great grandson Cameron Walker Prince; sister Grace Ione Saucier (Merrick) of Bay City, TX.

Burial will be at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, GA on December 16, 2025. A Celebration of Life will be scheduled for a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Tunnel2Towers Foundation or a charity of your choice.