Charles Van Willis

Charles V. ?Van? Willis Funeral services for Charles V. ?Van? Willis, 79, of Longview, will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, February 16, 2004 at the First Presbyterian Church with Dr. William D. O?Neal and Reverend Jonathan Jehorek officiating. Burial will follow at Rosewood Park under the direction of Rader Funeral Home of Longview. He passed away Friday, February 13 at his home following a battle with lung cancer. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 PM Sunday, February 15 at the funeral home. Mr. Willis was born November 23, 1924 in Ty Ty, Georgia, and had been a resident of Longview since moving to Longview in 1947. He attended LeTourneau Technical Institute and received a bachelor of science degree in machine science. Mr. Willis joined Texas Eastman in 1951 as a general maintenance mechanic, and was named foreman of shops. Later he was made supervisor of shops before being appointed assistant superintendent of the Shops and Maintenance Department, the position he held when he was named Superintendent, Shops and Maintenance Division. In 1968, he was Named Division Superintendent of Maintenance, the position he held at the time of his retirement in 1986. He was a former member of the Board of Directors of Longview YMCA, Elder in the First Presbyterian Church and a Volunteer for Meals on Wheels. He was a WWII Veteran of the U.S.A.F. 396th Bombardment Squadron-7th Air Force. Mr. Willis was preceded in death by his parents, 4 sisters, and 1 brother. Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 56 ½ years, Gwen Willis of Longview; daughter and son-in-law, Kristie and Bobby Harper of Greenville, FL.; sons and daughters-in-law, Paul and Brenda Willis of Lake O? the Pines, David Willis and his fiancé Darrell Tubb of Tyler; sisters and brother-in-law, Joyce Barber of Bonney Lake, WA., Virginia Hall of Morrow, Georgia, and June and James Gilbert of Pittsburg, TX; brothers and sisters-in-law, Weldon and Betty Willis of Blairsville, GA, Lee and Sonja Willis of Crystal River, FL, and Mark and Clara Willis of Sevierville, TN.; brother-in-law, W. A. Barfield and his wife Barbara of Madison, FL; numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church Building Fund, 301 N. Center, Longview, TX 75601; Heart?s Way Hospice, 1306 Pine Tree Rd. Longview, TX 75604; The American Cancer Society, 1301 S. Broadway, Tyler, TX 75702; or to a charity of choice.

Charles Van Willis

November 23, 1924 - February 13, 2004