Clearfield / St. George, Utah - On Sunday, December 11, 2011, V.J. Willis left his earthly covering for a mansion in his Fathers house. He was born July 17, 1922 in Raton, New Mexico the first son of Thomas Henry and Mary Victoria Bagwell Willis. He spent most of his childhood in Arizona until his mothers death in 1933 when he went to Texas and then to California to live with family and attend school. He joined the Navy in 1942 and traveled on troop ships to many islands of the South Pacific.

He married Sylvia Lou Jones June 26,1944 in Glendale, California and was the father of two children: son, Vernon Willis and wife Patsy Dobbs; daughter, Sheryl Shafer Rudnick; four grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren.

He moved his family from California to Utah in 1958 and retired from Hill Air Force Base in 1982. He was a member of St. George Southern Baptist Church and former member of Washington Heights Church in Ogden, Utah.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Mildred McKinny; grandson, Brian Keith Shafer; and son-in-law, Louis Rudnick..

A visitation will be held Tuesday, December 13, 2011 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Metcalf Mortuary, 288 West St. George Blvd., St. George, Utah.

Funeral services will be held Friday, December 16, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at Leavitts Mortuary, 836 36 ^th Street, Ogden, Utah. Visitations will be held Thursday evening, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Friday, prior to services, at 1:00 p.m. both at the Mortuary.

Arrangements entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, (435) 673-4221.