Jesse Clay Wills

Jesse Clay Wills, a longtime resident of the Monroe/Middletown area, died Tuesday, June 30, 2009, at Rittenhouse Senior Living of Middletown. He was born in Salt Lick, Kentucky on January 29, 1919 to parents Floyd and Clara (Downs) Wills. He had four sisters and three brothers. Paul Wills of Middletown, Ruby Purvis of Gratis, Delores Kissick of Salt Lick, and Carl Wills of Michigan have predeceased him. He is survived by two sisters, Helen Chesterman of Florida, Mabel Deaton of California, and one brother, Kennith Wills of Kentucky.

After faithfully serving his country in World War II, Jesse married his only wife, Lucy Ellen Howard, and began his life and family locally. He retired in 1982 after more than 40 years of service to Armco (AK) Steel. His wife, Lucy, died in 2003 after 56 years of devoted love and marriage, and his only child, Calvin, died in 1998. He leaves behind his only beloved grandchild, Carrie Ann Wills, a graduate student at OSU, who resides in Dublin, OH; his daughter-in-law, Scott Ann Wills Lane, who resides with her husband, Greg, in Waynesville; and many family and friends who loved him very much.
Some of Jesse's favorite things throughout his life were working on cars with his son and taking care of his granddaughter when she was a child. He and Lucy took many trips to Salt Lick to visit his parents and loved having family into his home for dinners. He loved the Bible, checkers, Bingo, stories about working at Armco, and retelling stories about places he went and things he saw in Europe and Africa during the war.

Scott Ann and Carrie would like to extend special thanks and appreciation to Greg Lane, Scott Ann's husband, for his love, friendship, and time helping Scott Ann take care of Jesse during his final years; to two of Jesse's nieces, Sandra Kidwell and her husband, George of Dayton and Margaret Ann DePew and her husband, Wilburn of Franklin, for their faithful visits, phone calls, cards, and gifts to Jesse. They kept family alive for him, especially since the passing of his son and wife; to Destiny Hospice for assisting Jesse to pass into his final rest with dignity; and last but not least, to all the staff and residents of Rittenhouse Senior Living of Middletown (formerly McKnight Terrace) for their excellent care, love, and friendship. They became his second family and he called it "home". Because Jesse never could forget his years in the U.S. Army, he always called the dining room at Rittenhouse "the mess hall." He often said "they really take good care of you around here."

Please come to his funeral service and celebrate his life with his family and friends on Friday, July 3, 2009 at 11:00 am at WILSON-SCHRAMM-SPAULDING FUNERAL HOME, 3805 Roosevelt Blvd., Middletown with Reverend Larry Gibbs officiating. Visitation will be prior to the service from 10:00 - 11:00 am. Internment will be at Woodside Cemetery with military honors conducted by the Middletown Combined Honor Guard.

Funeral Home:
Wilson-Schramm-Spaulding
3805 Roosevelt Blvd.
Middletown, OH
US 45044