James Hughson Willis

WILLIS, James Hughson, 91, died on September 7, 2008 in Richmond, where he lived at Our Lady of Hope Health Center for the past six years. A native of Chicago, Illinois, Mr. Willis lived in Greensboro, N.C., for more than 60 years. He was an acoustical engineer for Bonitz Insulation Company for 20 years, and then worked for Weaver Construction Company, where he served as project manager for the Greensboro Governmental Center. A graduate of Washington and Lee University, he worked for Vick Chemical Company prior to World War II. During the war, he started service in the horse cavalry in California and was a lieutenant in combat duty in Italy. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for saving three men in his troop in Canovetta, Italy. Mr.Willis was active at Saint Francis Episcopal Church in Greensboro, where he was senior warden of the vestry and, with his wife, Anne, established the memorial garden. He was later a member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. He was a member of the Rotary Club. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Anne Booth Willis; his daughter, Anne Willis Peck (and Dr. Edward A. Peck III) of Richmond; sons, James H. Willis Jr. of Scottsdale, Ariz. and Robert F. Willis (and Nancy Schamberg Willis) of Silver Spring, Md.; and two granddaughters, Sally Faulkner Peck and Lea Willis Peck of Richmond. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 13, at 4 p.m. at Our Lady of Hope Health Center, 13700 N. Gayton Rd. Interment in Green Hill Cemetery, Danville, Va., at a later date.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.