Willis Heward Wolfe, 90, of Oxnard, California, passed away Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at Saint John’s Regional Medical Center, Oxnard, California after a brief illness. Willis was born April 20, 1924 in Rose Township, Oakland County, Michigan, to William John and Elsie Prosser Wolfe. During the winter of 1935-36, the Wolfe Family moved to Western Oregon, then to Southern California during 1937. Willis attended Tustin (CA) Elementary School in 1938, the family returned to Western Oregon and he graduated from Newberg (OR) Union High School in May 1942. Willis joined the US Navy the following month. He was in the commissioning crew of the USS Waldron DD-699 and earned five battle stars in the Western Pacific Area before the war ended. After WW II service, he returned to Oregon and soon thereafter married Judith Hoy on April 11, 1948 at Newberg, Oregon. He was recalled to active duty during April 1951 and the Korean War. He attended several technical training schools between Rhode Island and Hawaii. All of Willis’ twenty-one years six months of active naval service was served on Pacific Fleet ships in Western Pacific waters and shore stations in Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, and California. He transferred to the US Naval Fleet Reserve November 20, 1967 at Mare Island (Vallejo, California), as a Senior Chief Fire Control Technician (E-8). He went to work for Vitro Laboratories in the Oxnard Field Office as a Senior Staff Specialist December 31, 1967 and retired April 22, 1986 as the Facility Security Officer (FSO) and Safety and Health Coordinator. While employed by Vitro, he was placed on the US Navy’s retired roll with thirty years of service on June 1, 1973.
Willis was an active life member of the Fleet Reserve Association serving as its SW Region President during 1981-82. As a member of Oxnard Branch 120 since 1968, he served several terms as President, three terms as Vice President, twenty-two terms as Secretary, and several terms as Director and Bulletin Editor. He was a life member of VFW and a paid up for life (PUFL) member of American Legion Post 741 in Camarillo, CA. He also belonged to The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA); the National Rifle Association (NRA); and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). He was an active member of the Ventura County Genealogical Society. During the fall months of 1985, he was instrumental in organizing Channel Islands Chapter 20 of the National Classification Management Society (NCMS) in Santa Barbara, CA.
Willis is survived by two daughters, Janet L. Wolfe of Oxnard, CA and Nancy R. Munoz of Ventura, CA; one son, Jeffrey A. and his wife Connie Wolfe of Ventura, CA; sister-in-law Betty J. Wolfe of Albany, Oregon; nephew Gregory and his wife Mary Ann Wolfe; six grandchildren (Amy, Audra, Jennifer, Danny, Willis and Sarah), and twelve great grandchildren. In addition, he is survived by three sisters-in-law and many nieces and nephews from Judy’s family in Oregon, Washington and California.
He was predeceased by his wife of 58 ½ years on October 16, 2006 and his only brother Charles F. Wolfe on December 20, 2004.
Friends may call Saturday, October 4, 2014 from 11:00am until 1:00pm at Funeraria del Angel Conrad & James Reardon, 401 W. Channel Islands Blvd., Oxnard, California. Funeral services with military honors will follow at 1:00pm. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lewy Body Dementia Association (912 Killian Hill Road, SW, Lilburn, GA 30047), Oxnard Branch 120 of the Fleet Reserve Association, the Ventura County Genealogical Society (P.O. Box 24608, Ventura, CA 93002-4608), the American Lung Association, the American Diabetes Association, or the Ventura County Rescue Mission in Mr. Wolfe’s name.
Arrangements under the direction of Funeraria del angel Conrad's & James Reardon, Oxnard, CA.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18