Joseph R. Willis 1934-2006

WILLIS, KEMP, KLECKER, GENTHE, GROSS, THIBADEAU, WINDERS, GROOME, BREITBACH

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 3/21/2018 at 18:56:08

Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA) - Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Joseph R. Willis, 71, of 2243 Prince St., died at 7:23 a.m. Monday, April 17, 2006, at The Finley Hospital, Dubuque.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main St. Burial will be in Dubuque Memorial Gardens, south of Dubuque, where military rites will be accorded by the American Legion, Dubuque Post 6. Friends may call from 3 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Mr. Willis worked at John Deere Dubuque Works for 30 years before retiring in 1991.

He was born on Dec. 19, 1934, in Dubuque, son of Joseph and Charlotte (Kemp) Willis. He was lovingly raised by his stepmother, Bonnie Willis.

He married Virginia Klecker on Feb. 21, 1953, at St. Columb-kille's Catholic Church.

He spent his time recently volunteering at the Washington Tool Library.

He was a member of the Tri-State Antique Car Club, the East Dubuque Drum and Bugle Corps and the United Auto Workers Union Local 94.

He was involved in many union activities and loved to ride his 3-wheeled Harley- Davidson Police Special.

He will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him.

Surviving are his wife, Virginia Willis, of Dubuque; six children, Larry Willis and Michael (Marla) Willis, both of Dubuque, Angela (Donald) Genthe, Dewayne (Paula) Willis and Ronald (Jennifer) Willis, all of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Gina (Dale) Gross, of Peosta, Iowa; 19 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; a brother, Robert (Ruth) Willis, of Dubuque; his father-in-law, Ralph Klecker, of Cedar Rapids; three brothers-in-law, Floyd Thibadeau, of Manchester, Iowa, and Jon Klecker and Mike Winders, both of Cedar Rapids; a sister-in-law, Dawn Winders, of Texas; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his stepmother, Bonnie (Lorenz) Willis; three brothers, Lyle and Les Willis and Floyd Groome; and a sister, Joy Breitbach.

A Joseph R. Willis Memorial Fund has been established.

The family would like to thank Dr. Salas and his nurse, Jennifer, and also the nurses at Finley Intensive Care Unit.