William “Bill" Albert Wilder, Iii

William “Bill” Albert Wilder, III, 48, died on July 20, 2023, in Columbus, GA.

A celebration of life will be held 5:00 PM Thursday, August 24, 2023 at the Middleton home at 444 Barschall Drive in Columbus according to McMullen Funeral Home and Crematory, 3874 Gentian Blvd. Columbus, GA 31907.

Bill was born on May 6, 1975, in Columbus, GA, son of Sally Sanders Wilder and the late William Albert Wilder, Jr. He attended Brookstone School, was a graduate of Darlington School and studied at the University of Mississippi where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

Bill was truly one of a kind who danced to the rhythm of his own drum. He had a charismatic, charming personality with a contagious smile that lit up any room he entered. Bill never met a stranger and made friends of all walks of life wherever he went. He was an outgoing, adventurous free spirit who lived life to the fullest. Bill had a passion for travel and live music, especially his favorite band, Widespread Panic. He also enjoyed golf and hunting, but his true love was spending time outdoors on his farm in Waverly Hall with his beloved bird dogs, rescue dogs and horses.

Bill is survived by his mother, Sally Sanders Wilder of Columbus and his sister Allison Cox Estes. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Mobley Theodore “Thad” Estes, whom he greatly admired and respected; his nephew, Mobley Theodore Estes, Jr, and niece Sanders Reiney Estes, both of whom he absolutely adored! They will cherish the profound impact he had on their lives and the memories they shared. Bill also leaves behind his countless friends who are forever changed by the indelible mark he leaves on their hearts.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Humane Society of Harris County or the AFLAC Cancer Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.