Walter Bryant Dorsey, Esquire, 81, a prominent attorney and longtime political leader in Southern Maryland politics died Sunday December 6, 2009. Mr. Dorsey died at his home in Leonardtown, MD of heart failure after a long bout with multiple cancers.

He was born on September 3, 1928 to the late Dorothy Stewart Dorsey and Judge Philip H. Dorsey and was raised in St. Mary's County, MD. He was a graduate of Charlotte Hall Military School and received his bachelors degree from Western Maryland College in 1948 where he played Lacrosse and Football. He received his law degree from The University of Maryland School of Law and graduated in 1951. At that time, individuals were ranked for their bar exam and scores were given. There were 60 questions all of which were essays and Mr. Dorsey received a 282 out of 300 which was the highest grade on the bar exam throughout the State.

After law school, Mr. Dorsey went to Korea and served in the U.S. Army in the Judge Advocate General Corps in the Korean War (Conflict). His first venture into politics was when he filed for State's Attorney in April of 1954 on his way home from Korea, and the primary was in May in which he was elected. He won election again in 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1994 before retiring when he retired from the State's Attorney's office at the age of 70.

He also was elected to the State Senate in 1958. Senator Dorsey was a third generation member of the Maryland General Assembly, having been preceded in service by his father, the late Circuit Court Judge Philip H. Dorsey, who was elected Senator for the same seat in 1926 and to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1930 and 1934 and by his grandfather, Walter B. Dorsey, who was elected to the House of Delegates in 1911.

Senator Dorsey also served as Deputy Maryland Public Defender during the late 1970's and Assistant Attorney General from 1962-1966 trying condemnation cases for the State of Maryland.

Senator Walter Dorsey also established the Youth Commission which later evolved into the St. Mary's County Recreation and Parks Division. He was an avid sports enthusiast and storyteller. He established Project Graduation in 1983 through the State's Attorneys office which has been beneficial to thousands of graduating high school seniors.

He also owned and published the newspaper, St. Mary's Journal, in Leonardtown, MD from 1958 through 1961.

In addition, Walter Dorsey built several residential communities in Southern Maryland as well as developing several Checkers fast food restaurants with his family.

Survivors include his wife, Brenda Dorsey of Leonardtown, MD, three children from his first marriage to Jeanne Blackistone Dorsey Mandel; Philip H. Dorsey III and wife (Donna) of Leonardtown, MD, Helen Marie Dorsey of Leonardtown, MD, and John Michael Dorsey and wife (Trisha) of Green Bay, WI, step-children; Suzanne Edgar and Sheryl Lococco of Leonardtown, MD, five grandchildren; Walter, Bryant, Austin, Robert and Catherine, and two step-grandchildren; Tiffany and Amber. He was predeceased by his brother John Rule Dorsey who passed away in 1995.

The family will receive friends at the Brinsfield Funeral Home, 22955 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650 from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 10, 2009 with prayers recited at 7:00 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, December 11, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 44078 St. Andrews Church Road, California, MD 20619. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers will be; J. Ernest Bell, Bill Combs, J.W. Quade, Dickie Duke, John Rue, and Bobby Gant. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be; Joe Goldsborough, Roger Buckler, Danny Morris, J. Harry Norris, Barry Loescher, Jimmy Banagan, and Kenneth Rossignol.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations may be made to the St. Mary's County Historical Society, P.O. Box 212, Leonardtown, MD 20650 or St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 44078 St. Andrews Church Road, California, MD 20619.

Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.