Charles Owen Wills

Born in Lynchburg, May 6, 1916, he was the son of the late Charles Henry Wills and Edyth Chambres Wills. Charles attended the public schools of Lynchburg and attended Washington and Lee University, Lynchburg College and received a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Virginia in 1954.

He was in the Eighth Air Force during WW II as an aircraft Inspector for a Headquarters Squadron attached to the record breaking 78th Fighter Group. The group was composed of P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustang aircraft, and stationed at Duxford, England near Cambridge, England from September 1942 until 1945. Later he was assigned to the record breaking 55th Fighter Group composed of P-51 Mustang aircraft at Kaufbeuren airfield in Kaufbeuren Germany, near Munich, for occupational duties until the fall of 1945. He achieved the rank of Technical Sergeant.

After the war he taught in the elementary schools of Bedford and Campbell Counties. He was employed at Lynchburg Training School and Hospital, now known as Central Virginia Training Center, for 25 years. Under Dr. W. I. Pritchard and Dr. Benedict Nagler, Superintendents, as an educational supervisor and School Principal he and his school staff of 30 developed many innovative educational and training programs for special needs students.

He was a long time member of Grace Memorial Episcopal Church in Lynchburg.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his only child, a daughter Elizabeth Grace; his wife of 53 years, Hilda Harvey Wills; two brothers, Leonard E. Wills and Donald H. “Herb” Wills and wife Mary.

He is survived by a sister-in-law, Ruby J. Wills and four nephews, Steven E. Wills and John W. Wills of Lynchburg; Donald W. Wills and wife Toni of Port Macquarie, Australia and Charles R. Wills and wife Barbara of Euless, TX and their children, Kara, Brian, and Kevin.

The family wishes to thank Generation Solutions, specifically David Glenn and Sarah Ellison for their care and support.

A graveside service will be conducted at 11 am on Saturday, May 9, 2015 at Spring Hill Cemetery with The Very Reverend Catharine Montgomery, Rector of Grace Memorial Episcopal Church officiating.

For those wishing to make memorial contributions, the family would like you to consider Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, 1021 New Hampshire Avenue, Lynchburg, VA 24502.