Walter Wilcox Cardwell III

1947 - 2019

CARDWELL III, Walter Jan. 24, 1947 - Nov. 19, 2019 Walter Wilcox Cardwell III, a resident of Austin, Texas, reached the peaceful end of his life during the early evening of November 19, 2019 in the company of his immediate family. Born in Bryan, Texas, he was the eldest child of Walter Wilcox Cardwell, Jr. and Margaret Ann Williams Cardwell and the first grandchild on both sides of his family. Walter grew up in Lockhart, Texas on a cattle ranch owned and operated by his family, which specialized in Santa Gertrudis cattle during the breed's formative stages in Texas. Upon graduating from Texas Military Institute (now TMI Episcopal) in San Antonio, Walter attended The University of Texas at Austin. He was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and earned his degree through the University's Plan II Honors Liberal Arts Program. Walter was subsequently accepted into The University of Texas School of Law, and acquired his Juris Doctorate in 1972. Having spent his summers working in Alaska, Walter moved to Anchorage after law school and formed a law firm that distinguished itself resolving legal matters associated with the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, then under construction. In 1976, after building a successful Alaska practice, he returned to Texas to work as in-house counsel for Jack Fitch's Houston Contracting Co. After HCC merged with SEDCO Inc., an international drilling company founded by Texas Governor William Clements, Walter rapidly rose through the ranks and, in two years, became SEDCO's General Counsel. In this role, Walter travelled the world representing SEDCO's international drilling interests, which notably included bringing suit against the Ayatollah Khomeini in the International Court of Justice at the Hague and resulted in the freezing of substantial Iranian assets during the Reagan administration. While at SEDCO in Dallas, Walter met and married Sally Anderson, a stock broker at Rauscher Pierce Refsnes, Inc. and the love of his life. Schlumberger acquired SEDCO in 1985, and Walter, still only 39, elected to resign and move to Austin with his new wife to start their family. Walter was appointed Texas Water Commissioner by Governor Clements soon after coming to Austin and later joined his brother John A. Cardwell and Jeff Hart as a founding partner of the Cardwell & Hart law firm (now Cardwell, Hart & Bennett, LLP). Walter's interests were extensions of his essencea lifelong inclination for adventure, exploration, and knowledge. An enthusiastic outdoorsman, he was a masterful fisherman, an immaculate marksman, and a skilled aviator. As an avid reader, his comprehension was quick and analysis keen. And, with his remarkable coordination and physical courage, Walter believed that danger was often a necessary component of any notable accomplishment. That a natural death was to be his ultimate fate seemed improbable. Fully, an uncommon fellow. Walter is survived by his wife Sally Anderson Cardwell; his son Walter Wilcox Cardwell IV; his daughter Sally Anderson Cardwell; his brother David Williams Cardwell MD and wife Hallie Powell Cardwell; his brother John Anthony Cardwell and wife Lilly Phipps Cardwell; his brother James McCurdy Cardwell; his sister Caroline Cardwell Puett and husband Nelson Harwood Puett; his sister-in-law Martha Barnes Anderson; his brother-in-law Edward Mackey Anderson; and his brother-in-law Frederick Jason Anderson. Family defined Walter and he found no greater joy than spending time with his nephews and nieces Jack Conger Cardwell and wife Emily Boon Cardwell and sons Jackson Boon Cardwell and Conger Williams Cardwell; Andrew Hemenway Cardwell and wife Sara Bailey Cardwell; Margaret Ann Cardwell McGaughy and husband Thomas Elkin McGaughy III; Callie Puett Price and husband Andrew Beyer Price and son Nelson Harwood Price; James McCurdy Cardwell, Jr. and wife Taylor Reed Cardwell; Elizabeth Barrow Puett; Margaret Deane Cardwell; David Willard Williams Cardwell; Lee Madison Cardwell; Henry Phipps Cardwell; Allison Geller Ojeda and husband Gerardo Ojeda; Sara Anderson; Sam Anderson; and Caroline Anderson. A memorial service will be held at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Austin, Texas, on Monday, November 25, 2019 at 2:00pm. If desired, memorials may be made to: -Magnolia Hospice 1250 E. Copeland Road, Ste. 260 Arlington, TX 76011 p: (888) 976-0788 e: info@magnoliahospice.com -The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration Radnor Station, Bldg. 2, Ste. 320 290 King of Prussia Road Radnor, PA 19087 p: (267) 514-7221 e: info@theaftd.org -Austin Pets Alive! 1156 West Cesar Chavez Austin, TX 78703 p: (512) 961-6519 w: austinpetsalive.org/donate Remembrances may be shared online at www.wcfish.com.