William Chellis

William Russell Chellis VIRGINIA BEACH - William Russell Chellis passed away Sept. 7, 2008. He was 86 years old, born April 17, 1922, in Plattsburgh, N.Y., to Carl and Ethel Chellis. Bill grew up living in lighthouses that his father tended in Rhode Island. He graduated from Rodgers High School in Newport, R.I. The experience of his family was documented in a History Channel special in the series, "The Violent Earth: The Hurricane of 1938." His young sister, Marion, was killed when the school bus she was riding home was swept off the road. His brother, Clayton, one of two survivors, drowned just a few years later while serving in the Navy in the South Pacific. His brother, Richard, still lives in Jamestown, R.I. Bill joined the Navy in 1941 and served for 21 years. He was an aviation machinist's mate first class. He flew on PBY Flying Boats during the war and made several Med cruises working the flight decks of the aircraft carriers Tarawa, Intrepid, Coral Sea and the Randolph. He was the father of seven surviving children, William C., Robert, Daniel, Tom, Susan, Michael and Terry. He was the grandfather of the 12 and great-grandfather of seven. After retiring from the Navy, he owned a restaurant in Oceana for several years. He became an electrician after selling the restaurant. In 1980, his first wife of 35 years and mother of his children, Violet, died of cancer. In 1982, he married Jung Kim and moved to Port Saint Lucie. He was well known by the residents who drove by his home on Floresta Drive and saw him working on lighthouses and birdhouses in his driveway and was the subject of several news articles. Kim preceded him in death April 22 of this year. Bill respected the Almighty and His word, The Bible, and became one of Jehovah's Witnesses late in life. A memorial was held Sept. 13, at the 103 Marion St. Kingdom Hall, Port St. Lucie. A local service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday in Princess Anne Memorial Park Cemetery Mausoleum, 1110 N. Great Neck Road. Repass to follow at 2468 Laurel Cove Drive, Virginia Beach.