Memorial services for Earl Dale Willis, 84, of Wichita, Kan., who died May 11, in Wichita, were held May 17, 1997, at Fairmount United Church of Christ, in Wichita. Burial was at White Chapel Memorial Gardens.
Earl was born November 10, 1912, near Melcher, the son of Henry Wells Willis and Melissa Agnes Severns Willis. He worked on several farms in Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota in the early 1930's, then went to an automotive school in Kansas City, Mo. After graduation, he worked for Juline Motor Company in Melcher.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941, and served at the 813th Bombardier Training Squadron, where he helped organize the Post Aircraft Mechanics School and became an instructor. He was crew chief and aircraft troubleshooter as well as instructor at the Bombardier School Headquarters at San Angelo (Texas) Army Field. He trained mechanics and pilots for combat assignments in World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1945.
He was united in marriage to Mary Lois Farley on June 14, 1943, in San Angelo, Texas. He graduated from the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Okla., in 1946. The family moved back to Iowa where he worked for airports in Winterset and Creston. He joined the Iowa Air National Guard Squadron in Des Moines in 1949, and the family moved to Indianola.
Earl's squadron was activated in 1951, as an Air Wing for the Korean Conflict and he was sent to Dow Air Force Base in Bangor, Maine. As a Tech Sergeant, he was transferred to Alexandria Air Force Base in Alexandria, La. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force and from the Air National Guard in 1952. After a short time in Indianola, the family moved to Wichita, Kan., where he worked for Boeing Aircraft, Beechcraft, Aeroservices, and for Current Air Services. He retired in 1980.
He was active at Fairmount United Church of Christ, Meals on Wheels, and the International Association of Machinists, and was a founding member of the Windjammers Kite Club. He was a licensed pilot.
He was preceded in death by five brothers, William, Walter, Henry, Franklin and Raymond; three sisters, Florence Borchert, Ida May Willis, and Katie Borchert; two half-sisters, Hannah Martha and Carrie Ellen Willis; and a half- brother, James Willitt Willis.
He is survived by his wife, Mary; a son, David of Los Angeles, Calif.; two daughters, Jane Johnston of Lawrence, Kan., and Elizabeth Pearce of Wichita, Kan.; and four grandchildren.
Earl was born November 10, 1912, near Melcher, the son of Henry Wells Willis and Melissa Agnes Severns Willis. He worked on several farms in Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota in the early 1930's, then went to an automotive school in Kansas City, Mo. After graduation, he worked for Juline Motor Company in Melcher.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941, and served at the 813th Bombardier Training Squadron, where he helped organize the Post Aircraft Mechanics School and became an instructor. He was crew chief and aircraft troubleshooter as well as instructor at the Bombardier School Headquarters at San Angelo (Texas) Army Field. He trained mechanics and pilots for combat assignments in World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1945.
He was united in marriage to Mary Lois Farley on June 14, 1943, in San Angelo, Texas. He graduated from the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Okla., in 1946. The family moved back to Iowa where he worked for airports in Winterset and Creston. He joined the Iowa Air National Guard Squadron in Des Moines in 1949, and the family moved to Indianola.
Earl's squadron was activated in 1951, as an Air Wing for the Korean Conflict and he was sent to Dow Air Force Base in Bangor, Maine. As a Tech Sergeant, he was transferred to Alexandria Air Force Base in Alexandria, La. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force and from the Air National Guard in 1952. After a short time in Indianola, the family moved to Wichita, Kan., where he worked for Boeing Aircraft, Beechcraft, Aeroservices, and for Current Air Services. He retired in 1980.
He was active at Fairmount United Church of Christ, Meals on Wheels, and the International Association of Machinists, and was a founding member of the Windjammers Kite Club. He was a licensed pilot.
He was preceded in death by five brothers, William, Walter, Henry, Franklin and Raymond; three sisters, Florence Borchert, Ida May Willis, and Katie Borchert; two half-sisters, Hannah Martha and Carrie Ellen Willis; and a half- brother, James Willitt Willis.
He is survived by his wife, Mary; a son, David of Los Angeles, Calif.; two daughters, Jane Johnston of Lawrence, Kan., and Elizabeth Pearce of Wichita, Kan.; and four grandchildren.
Memorial services for Earl Dale Willis, 84, of Wichita, Kan., who died May 11, in Wichita, were held May 17, 1997, at Fairmount United Church of Christ, in Wichita. Burial was at White Chapel Memorial Gardens.
Earl was born November 10, 1912, near Melcher, the son of Henry Wells Willis and Melissa Agnes Severns Willis. He worked on several farms in Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota in the early 1930's, then went to an automotive school in Kansas City, Mo. After graduation, he worked for Juline Motor Company in Melcher.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941, and served at the 813th Bombardier Training Squadron, where he helped organize the Post Aircraft Mechanics School and became an instructor. He was crew chief and aircraft troubleshooter as well as instructor at the Bombardier School Headquarters at San Angelo (Texas) Army Field. He trained mechanics and pilots for combat assignments in World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1945.
He was united in marriage to Mary Lois Farley on June 14, 1943, in San Angelo, Texas. He graduated from the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Okla., in 1946. The family moved back to Iowa where he worked for airports in Winterset and Creston. He joined the Iowa Air National Guard Squadron in Des Moines in 1949, and the family moved to Indianola.
Earl's squadron was activated in 1951, as an Air Wing for the Korean Conflict and he was sent to Dow Air Force Base in Bangor, Maine. As a Tech Sergeant, he was transferred to Alexandria Air Force Base in Alexandria, La. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force and from the Air National Guard in 1952. After a short time in Indianola, the family moved to Wichita, Kan., where he worked for Boeing Aircraft, Beechcraft, Aeroservices, and for Current Air Services. He retired in 1980.
He was active at Fairmount United Church of Christ, Meals on Wheels, and the International Association of Machinists, and was a founding member of the Windjammers Kite Club. He was a licensed pilot.
He was preceded in death by five brothers, William, Walter, Henry, Franklin and Raymond; three sisters, Florence Borchert, Ida May Willis, and Katie Borchert; two half-sisters, Hannah Martha and Carrie Ellen Willis; and a half- brother, James Willitt Willis.
He is survived by his wife, Mary; a son, David of Los Angeles, Calif.; two daughters, Jane Johnston of Lawrence, Kan., and Elizabeth Pearce of Wichita, Kan.; and four grandchildren.
Earl was born November 10, 1912, near Melcher, the son of Henry Wells Willis and Melissa Agnes Severns Willis. He worked on several farms in Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota in the early 1930's, then went to an automotive school in Kansas City, Mo. After graduation, he worked for Juline Motor Company in Melcher.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941, and served at the 813th Bombardier Training Squadron, where he helped organize the Post Aircraft Mechanics School and became an instructor. He was crew chief and aircraft troubleshooter as well as instructor at the Bombardier School Headquarters at San Angelo (Texas) Army Field. He trained mechanics and pilots for combat assignments in World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1945.
He was united in marriage to Mary Lois Farley on June 14, 1943, in San Angelo, Texas. He graduated from the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Okla., in 1946. The family moved back to Iowa where he worked for airports in Winterset and Creston. He joined the Iowa Air National Guard Squadron in Des Moines in 1949, and the family moved to Indianola.
Earl's squadron was activated in 1951, as an Air Wing for the Korean Conflict and he was sent to Dow Air Force Base in Bangor, Maine. As a Tech Sergeant, he was transferred to Alexandria Air Force Base in Alexandria, La. He was honorably discharged from the Air Force and from the Air National Guard in 1952. After a short time in Indianola, the family moved to Wichita, Kan., where he worked for Boeing Aircraft, Beechcraft, Aeroservices, and for Current Air Services. He retired in 1980.
He was active at Fairmount United Church of Christ, Meals on Wheels, and the International Association of Machinists, and was a founding member of the Windjammers Kite Club. He was a licensed pilot.
He was preceded in death by five brothers, William, Walter, Henry, Franklin and Raymond; three sisters, Florence Borchert, Ida May Willis, and Katie Borchert; two half-sisters, Hannah Martha and Carrie Ellen Willis; and a half- brother, James Willitt Willis.
He is survived by his wife, Mary; a son, David of Los Angeles, Calif.; two daughters, Jane Johnston of Lawrence, Kan., and Elizabeth Pearce of Wichita, Kan.; and four grandchildren.
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