Maj Gen Frank Willis, USAF, (Ret.) Obituary

Frank was born in 1939, and he grew up in Clinton, Illinois. He graduated from Clinton Community High School in 1957, and he had the honor of being appointed to the newly formed Air Force Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Military Science degree and his first set of military flight wings.

Frank was in the U.S. Air Force Academy's third graduating class. After graduating in the morning of June 7, 1961, Frank married his true love, Clarice, that same afternoon-not a bad days work! Frank also earned a Master's Degree in Management from the University of Nebraska in 1973. Progressing through the military ranks, Frank achieved the rank of Brigadier General in 1984, and Major General in 1989. General Willis retired after thirty-two years of service to his country in June of 1993.

The general is a command pilot with more than 5,100 flying hours in the KC-135, C-123, T-39, C-130, C-21, C-141, and C-17, including more than 1,000 combat flying hours during tours in Vietnam, flying the KC-135 and C-123. His military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal; Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster; Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster; Air Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters; and Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.

After retirement, Frank pursued his first passion of railroading-both model railroads and full size trains. He volunteered for the St. Louis Steam Train Association at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation, spending thousands of hours primarily working on restoring the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway "1522" Steam Locomotive. The 1522 pulled passenger trains again from 1988 to 2002. While working on the 1522, and for a few years after the engine was retired, Frank was co-owner of Tinker Town model railroad hobby shop near St. Louis, where true fans of the railroad could share his passion. Frank also served as the president of the Illinois Central Railroad Historical Society for over seven years.

Frank moved to Colorado Springs in 2007. After a sudden and very short battle with cancer, Frank passed away peacefully on the morning of February 23, 2017. He was a devoted Christian, husband, father, and grandfather.

He is survived by his wife of over fifty-five years, Clarice M. (Hull) Willis; three sons and their wives, Michael and Judy, Steven and Bettina, and William and Margo; nine grandchildren, Evan and Joshua (Mike and Judy), Alex, Andrea, Erika, Kristina, and Anna (Steve and Bettina), and Eric and Jessica (Bill and Margo).

Memorial Service, 2:00PM, Friday, March 10, 2017 at Forestgate Presbyterian Church, 970 North Gate Boulevard, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921.

He will be buried with full military honors at the United States Air Force Academy Cemetery.

Donations in lieu of flowers would be preferred to the Illinois Central Historical Society: ICHS, P.O. Box 475, Crete, IL 60417-0475, [email protected], http://www.icrrhistorical.org/moreinfo.html; or Forestgate Presbyterian Church and their associated missions: Forestgate Presbyterian Church, 970 North Gate Boulevard, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921, 719-495-5672, [email protected].