George Howard Willett

George Howard Willett III, 81, of Danville, CA passed away on Tuesday, July 13, 2022 in Grosse Pointe. Treated at UC San Francisco for Multiple Myeloma for the past 11 years, doctors there called him a “trooper” as he underwent clinical trials and many treatments.

Howard is survived by his wife Barbara, daughter Wendy Willett McMillan (James); grandchildren Andrew Brown and Amanda Brown. Additionally, he leaves behind his brother Gordon Willett (Ann) and their children, Lindsay Willett Needle and Dr. James Willett; sister Ann Kingery and her children, Corinne Kingery Ambrose and Eric Miller.

Raised in Birmingham, Michigan, he graduated from the University of Michigan with Tau Beta Pi Engineering honors as well as Beta Gamma Sigma MBA honors. His career included management at Raytheon Corporation in Boston, MA and as President of Standard Fuel Engineering and ThermAlliance, manufacturing companies in Detroit. He and brother Gordon worked side by side for more than 25 years.

Those who knew Howard remember him for his Courage, Humility, Integrity, Wit and Dancing Skills. Re Courage: faced his illness for 11 years with grace, no complaints; Re humility: seldom talked about himself and never about his many accomplishments; Re his Integrity: was honest and had strong moral principles; Re his Wit: when his UCSF doctors told him he had several years to live, he replied, “Guess I can buy green bananas”. They laughed. Re his Dancing Skills: at weddings or parties, he was often asked by women he did not know, if he would dance with them. And did he dance!

Married 59 years, Howard and Barbara met at the University of Michigan and lived in Grosse Pointe 43 years before moving to California. They and daughter Wendy traveled extensively. He and Wendy shared a special father-daughter bond. Howard and Barbara were circumnavigators, did transatlantic crossings on the QE2, the maiden voyage of the Queen Mary 2, and flew to Paris on the Concorde. They danced all 59 years and also enjoyed hosting parties. They lived in the San Francisco area from 2011 to the present in the Blackhawk Country Club community, enjoying friends, the weather and the California outdoor-living lifestyle.

Howard was a member of The Country Club of Detroit and the Yondotega Club. He and Barbara are longtime members of Grosse Pointe Memorial Church where his Memorial Service will be held Saturday, September 10 at 11am. If inclined, donations may be in memory of George Howard Willett III to Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, 16 Lakeshore Road, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 or to UCSF, Hematology, Blood & Marrow Transplant Dept., 400 Parnassus, San Francisco CA 94143.