Walter Murphy Rivenbark III, age 83, of Gainesville, Florida passed away on Friday, March 8, 2024. He was born August 10, 1940 in Wilmington, North Carolina to Walter Murphy Rivenbark Jr. and Hazel Smith of Wallace, North Carolina. He graduated from Wallace Rose Hill High School in 1958. He attended Campbell University and Atlantic Christian College, now known as Barton College. He was a member of the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity.

He met his bride, Carol Ellis Bishop, in Jacksonville, Florida, and married her in 1965. He was married for 53 years and a member of the First Baptist Church in Gainesville, Florida, for the last 52 years.

His children survive him, Amy Chin (Ian), Walter Rivenbark IV (Camila), David Rivenbark (Kristen), and Chris Rivenbark (deceased) along with his seven grandchildren: Cole, Colin, Luke, Aidan, Jake, Alyssa, and Weiland and brother Phil Rivenbark, formerly of Wallace and now of Georgia. He is also survived by his dachshund dog companion, Molly.

Most knew him as Murphy or Murph and he was the proud father of his four kids. He was a serial entrepreneur, starting out with a Milk Delivery Business as his first owned business very early in his career, all the way to real estate investing into his late seventies. He focused on his family, being a great Dad and doing everything he could to provide for them and his wife. He was the eternal optimist no matter how hard life got.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, March 24th, 2024, for viewing at 1:00 pm at Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home, 612 S. Norwood St, Wallace, NC 28466, with service following at 2:00 pm with the Reverend Jimmy Johnson officiating. Burial will follow the service at Rockfish Memorial Cemetery in Wallace, NC.

For those who wish, donations may be made to Alachua County Humane Society, 4205 NW 6th St, Gainesville, FL 32609.

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Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home of Wallace  and William Thomas Funeral Home of Florida is serving the Rivenbark family.