Name:
Kenneth "Buck" Willis
Dates:
Birth date: February 23, 1926
Death date: July 8, 2012
Obituary:
Kenneth Ray (Buck) Willis, 86, of Eagletown, passed away, Sunday, July 8, 2012 at De Queen Hospital, De Queen, AR. He was born on February 23, 1926 in Eagletown, the son of Oscar James (Dick) Willis and Grace Ann (Smith) Willis.
Buck, as everyone knew him, worked on the farm as a young boy and learned foundry work in Durant, OK. This was a government program for those needing to learn a trade. World War II was on and he went to Portland, OR at just seventeen. He went to work in a foundry plant but soon had the opportunity to make more working in the ship yard. He worked there until right before his eighteenth birthday and he returned home to Oklahoma and joined the Navy on the 19th of February, 1944. Buck was in five Pacific invasions, four in the Philippines, including Leyte and Luzon and accidently was included in the famous McArthur's "I Shall Return" photograph. He also was in the first wave of the Okinawa Invasion. After the war he went to work in as an Ironworker from California to Maine and worked on such projects from the Mt. Fork Bridge to the Mackinaw Bridge, longest single span bridge in United Stats to the Sears towers third highest building in the United States. Buck retired from ironworking and went into business. He had several successful ventures including, haying, fiberglass fencing and oil productions. During that time he patented several inventions.
Buck Willis and Alta Ellis were united in marriage on December 30, 1947 in Hope, AR. He loved his family and friends. He lived in Eagletown most of his life and enjoyed fishing, hunting, treasure hunting and was a gentleman farmer.
Buck was preceded in death by his parents, Dick and Grace Willis; two brothers, Bo Willis and Max Willis; one sister Allie Packnett.
He is survived by his wife, Alta Willis of the home; one son, Alvin Willis and Billie Carol of Cheyenne, WY; one daughter, Linda Willis Nowrooz and H.B. (Tony) Nowrooz of Arlington, TX; one brother, Billy F. Willis and Patsy of De Queen, AR; four grandchildren, Andy Buck Willis, BeJan Nowrooz, Kristi Carlin and Suzanne Swinson; ten great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; four nieces; twelve nephews; special friends, Renzer Vance, Dude Davis, Alton Meadows, Keith Williams, Clarence London, Louis Wimbley and Roy Eden; he is also survived by a host of other family and friends.
Visitation:
Family and friends will gather at 11:30 am Thursday at the Eagletown Methodist Church for lunch.
Service:
Funeral Service will be 2 PM Thursday, July 12, 2012 at Brumley Funeral Home.
Cemetery:
Eagletown Cemetery, Eagletown, OK
Kenneth "Buck" Willis
Dates:
Birth date: February 23, 1926
Death date: July 8, 2012
Obituary:
Kenneth Ray (Buck) Willis, 86, of Eagletown, passed away, Sunday, July 8, 2012 at De Queen Hospital, De Queen, AR. He was born on February 23, 1926 in Eagletown, the son of Oscar James (Dick) Willis and Grace Ann (Smith) Willis.
Buck, as everyone knew him, worked on the farm as a young boy and learned foundry work in Durant, OK. This was a government program for those needing to learn a trade. World War II was on and he went to Portland, OR at just seventeen. He went to work in a foundry plant but soon had the opportunity to make more working in the ship yard. He worked there until right before his eighteenth birthday and he returned home to Oklahoma and joined the Navy on the 19th of February, 1944. Buck was in five Pacific invasions, four in the Philippines, including Leyte and Luzon and accidently was included in the famous McArthur's "I Shall Return" photograph. He also was in the first wave of the Okinawa Invasion. After the war he went to work in as an Ironworker from California to Maine and worked on such projects from the Mt. Fork Bridge to the Mackinaw Bridge, longest single span bridge in United Stats to the Sears towers third highest building in the United States. Buck retired from ironworking and went into business. He had several successful ventures including, haying, fiberglass fencing and oil productions. During that time he patented several inventions.
Buck Willis and Alta Ellis were united in marriage on December 30, 1947 in Hope, AR. He loved his family and friends. He lived in Eagletown most of his life and enjoyed fishing, hunting, treasure hunting and was a gentleman farmer.
Buck was preceded in death by his parents, Dick and Grace Willis; two brothers, Bo Willis and Max Willis; one sister Allie Packnett.
He is survived by his wife, Alta Willis of the home; one son, Alvin Willis and Billie Carol of Cheyenne, WY; one daughter, Linda Willis Nowrooz and H.B. (Tony) Nowrooz of Arlington, TX; one brother, Billy F. Willis and Patsy of De Queen, AR; four grandchildren, Andy Buck Willis, BeJan Nowrooz, Kristi Carlin and Suzanne Swinson; ten great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; four nieces; twelve nephews; special friends, Renzer Vance, Dude Davis, Alton Meadows, Keith Williams, Clarence London, Louis Wimbley and Roy Eden; he is also survived by a host of other family and friends.
Visitation:
Family and friends will gather at 11:30 am Thursday at the Eagletown Methodist Church for lunch.
Service:
Funeral Service will be 2 PM Thursday, July 12, 2012 at Brumley Funeral Home.
Cemetery:
Eagletown Cemetery, Eagletown, OK
Name:
Kenneth "Buck" Willis
Dates:
Birth date: February 23, 1926
Death date: July 8, 2012
Obituary:
Kenneth Ray (Buck) Willis, 86, of Eagletown, passed away, Sunday, July 8, 2012 at De Queen Hospital, De Queen, AR. He was born on February 23, 1926 in Eagletown, the son of Oscar James (Dick) Willis and Grace Ann (Smith) Willis.
Buck, as everyone knew him, worked on the farm as a young boy and learned foundry work in Durant, OK. This was a government program for those needing to learn a trade. World War II was on and he went to Portland, OR at just seventeen. He went to work in a foundry plant but soon had the opportunity to make more working in the ship yard. He worked there until right before his eighteenth birthday and he returned home to Oklahoma and joined the Navy on the 19th of February, 1944. Buck was in five Pacific invasions, four in the Philippines, including Leyte and Luzon and accidently was included in the famous McArthur's "I Shall Return" photograph. He also was in the first wave of the Okinawa Invasion. After the war he went to work in as an Ironworker from California to Maine and worked on such projects from the Mt. Fork Bridge to the Mackinaw Bridge, longest single span bridge in United Stats to the Sears towers third highest building in the United States. Buck retired from ironworking and went into business. He had several successful ventures including, haying, fiberglass fencing and oil productions. During that time he patented several inventions.
Buck Willis and Alta Ellis were united in marriage on December 30, 1947 in Hope, AR. He loved his family and friends. He lived in Eagletown most of his life and enjoyed fishing, hunting, treasure hunting and was a gentleman farmer.
Buck was preceded in death by his parents, Dick and Grace Willis; two brothers, Bo Willis and Max Willis; one sister Allie Packnett.
He is survived by his wife, Alta Willis of the home; one son, Alvin Willis and Billie Carol of Cheyenne, WY; one daughter, Linda Willis Nowrooz and H.B. (Tony) Nowrooz of Arlington, TX; one brother, Billy F. Willis and Patsy of De Queen, AR; four grandchildren, Andy Buck Willis, BeJan Nowrooz, Kristi Carlin and Suzanne Swinson; ten great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; four nieces; twelve nephews; special friends, Renzer Vance, Dude Davis, Alton Meadows, Keith Williams, Clarence London, Louis Wimbley and Roy Eden; he is also survived by a host of other family and friends.
Visitation:
Family and friends will gather at 11:30 am Thursday at the Eagletown Methodist Church for lunch.
Service:
Funeral Service will be 2 PM Thursday, July 12, 2012 at Brumley Funeral Home.
Cemetery:
Eagletown Cemetery, Eagletown, OK
Kenneth "Buck" Willis
Dates:
Birth date: February 23, 1926
Death date: July 8, 2012
Obituary:
Kenneth Ray (Buck) Willis, 86, of Eagletown, passed away, Sunday, July 8, 2012 at De Queen Hospital, De Queen, AR. He was born on February 23, 1926 in Eagletown, the son of Oscar James (Dick) Willis and Grace Ann (Smith) Willis.
Buck, as everyone knew him, worked on the farm as a young boy and learned foundry work in Durant, OK. This was a government program for those needing to learn a trade. World War II was on and he went to Portland, OR at just seventeen. He went to work in a foundry plant but soon had the opportunity to make more working in the ship yard. He worked there until right before his eighteenth birthday and he returned home to Oklahoma and joined the Navy on the 19th of February, 1944. Buck was in five Pacific invasions, four in the Philippines, including Leyte and Luzon and accidently was included in the famous McArthur's "I Shall Return" photograph. He also was in the first wave of the Okinawa Invasion. After the war he went to work in as an Ironworker from California to Maine and worked on such projects from the Mt. Fork Bridge to the Mackinaw Bridge, longest single span bridge in United Stats to the Sears towers third highest building in the United States. Buck retired from ironworking and went into business. He had several successful ventures including, haying, fiberglass fencing and oil productions. During that time he patented several inventions.
Buck Willis and Alta Ellis were united in marriage on December 30, 1947 in Hope, AR. He loved his family and friends. He lived in Eagletown most of his life and enjoyed fishing, hunting, treasure hunting and was a gentleman farmer.
Buck was preceded in death by his parents, Dick and Grace Willis; two brothers, Bo Willis and Max Willis; one sister Allie Packnett.
He is survived by his wife, Alta Willis of the home; one son, Alvin Willis and Billie Carol of Cheyenne, WY; one daughter, Linda Willis Nowrooz and H.B. (Tony) Nowrooz of Arlington, TX; one brother, Billy F. Willis and Patsy of De Queen, AR; four grandchildren, Andy Buck Willis, BeJan Nowrooz, Kristi Carlin and Suzanne Swinson; ten great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; four nieces; twelve nephews; special friends, Renzer Vance, Dude Davis, Alton Meadows, Keith Williams, Clarence London, Louis Wimbley and Roy Eden; he is also survived by a host of other family and friends.
Visitation:
Family and friends will gather at 11:30 am Thursday at the Eagletown Methodist Church for lunch.
Service:
Funeral Service will be 2 PM Thursday, July 12, 2012 at Brumley Funeral Home.
Cemetery:
Eagletown Cemetery, Eagletown, OK
Inscription
MARRIED DEC. 30, 1947
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