Walter Pirie, a man whose life was defined by a deep dedication and reverence for the Earth, and the precise beauty of numbers, passed away Sunday, May 3rd, at the age of 91. A retired Professor of Statistics at Virginia Tech, Walt spent his career attempting to persuade his students that the world followed a logical order, an argument he sought to enrich frequently, spending his free time rappelling off cliffs,exploring the delightfully unstructured world of caves, or studying the speculative futures depicted in literature, especially science fiction. His hands never traveled far without a book, and heart carried a compass with no north or south, constantly pointing towards adventure and stewardship.

Dr. Walter Pirie joined Jesse Arnold, a fellow statistics doctoral graduate from Florida State University, as a faculty member at Virginia Tech in 1970 and lived in the midst of the Appalachian Mountains for the rest of his life. He took on the role of Undergraduate Coordinator of the department of statistics in 1981, and the undergraduate program gained recognition as one of the premier statistics programs in the United States. A Unitarian Universalist, Walt’s cathedral was the environment; this devotion led him to settle in his treasured Blue Ridge Mountains, and in 1975 he was tapped by Chuck Harty as a local nature guide for SUUSI, a Unitarian Universalist outdoor summer program. He included his children and participated for many years, heading the nature staff for some of those years, culminating in helping to establish a permanent space in Highlands, North Carolina at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center. His pleasure in cave exploration was more passion than hobby; offering a new frontier for adventure, and his service in cave rescue, mapping, and exploration earned  him a place as a fellow of the National Speleologic Society. He traveled as far as Belize, Costa Rica, Mexico, Wales, and Spain. His talents often spilled into service, working as a statistician and dedicated supporter of the Cave Conservancy of the Virginias, he spent time assuring that the subterranean worlds he cherished would be protected for generations to come.

Apparently viewing retirement as a navigational oversight, Walt corrected it by turning his ship and becoming a quiet anchor for others. In his later years, Walt swapped his camping, backpacking, and caving for the keys to his iconic fiberglass camper. He piloted it around the continent, finding joy in the open road, making friends throughout the US, exploring state and national parks across the continent, including Canada, in Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, and the Canadian Rockies. Yet, no matter how far he wandered, his commitment to make his world a better place remained a constant, serving on boards like the Virginia Association for Parks, and more. Locally he enjoyed his work as a docent at the Montgomery Art and History museum, seeing them through upgrades and a major acquisition and move. As a late-coming member of the Rotary Club, he traveled internationally to join altruistic projects through his eighties.

When he wasn’t under the earth or across the ocean, Walt could often be found at a billiards table, enjoying the geometry of the game, or immersed in the many communities he helped build over his nine decades, including founding a fiberglass rally at Hungry Mother State Park in Virginia where he led the group potluck with his Cowboy Stew, Sumi Salad, and dutch oven cobblers under flaming maple trees every October.

He will be deeply missed by his immediate and extended family, his UU community, caving community, Rotary colleagues, and the countless friends he made in every corner of the world.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Jean Bernard, father, Alec Pirie, Aunt Verna Lazarro, Uncles Howard and Jack, his first spouse, Christa Herrmann, and his second spouse, Cecile James, and is survived by his beloved life-partner, Margaret (Maggie) Kleiber, with whom he shared a special bond rooted within the Appalachian mountains, and their shared dedication to The Mountain. They got into good trouble together on Rotary Cub trips and other adventures. He is also survived by his children, Brendan Pirie and Kirsten Miles, son-in-law Nick Miles, and his three grandchildren: Brendan Miles and great grand-daughter-in-law Grace Grande, and Michelle Miles, and Cory Lawrence and grand-daughter-in-law Kelly Lawrence, and great granddaughter, Addison Lawrence, his third spouse, Lynn Richardson, and stepdaughter, Jenny Altman, and stepsons Jamey and Johnathan Altman, and his adopted family, Karen Kleiber, her husband Andrew, and children Ben and Meg, all of whom are the light of his life. His half sister, Jeanie Shakespeare, nephews Scott, Eric, and Jamie Shakespeare, and their children, his cousin Lynette Pirie, children Robert and Sarah Pirie and their children are all part of the constellation of a family he held dear, making annual trips to Canada to visit them while he was able.

He leaves behind a legacy written in the stars he watched from his camper and the deep silences of the caves he explored.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center, and The Virginia Association for Parks. Walter will be remembered at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center on May 24th, Homecoming weekend, and a celebration of Walter’s life will be held at Givens Highland Farms in Black Mountain, NC this summer, and the New River Unitarian Universalist Church in Blacksburg in early fall, at dates to be announced soon.