Msgt. Carl T. Willingham, Usaf (Ret.)

Msgt. Carl Thomas Willingham, USAF (Ret.), 94 years old, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 13, 2022. Carl was a World War II, Korea, and Vietnam veteran, proudly serving 21 years in the United States Army Air Corps/United States Air Force. He was stationed overseas in the Philippines, the Admiralty Island (New Guinea), Germany (Berlin Airlift), Japan, Korea, and Guam as well as several stateside assignments. Returning from Korea, he was assigned from 1955-66 to the Strategic Air Command (SAC) supporting the B-52.

Prior to being drafted, Carl, at 16 years old, began working at Wellston Army Air Depot, now Robins Air Force Base, as a civil service employee. He worked as a stock tracer in the Maintenance division. After retiring from the Air Force in 1966, Carl returned to his civil service position in the Directorate of Distribution at Robins AFB. He worked there until his retirement in 1982.

For the past 40 years, his favorite retirement pastimes were sitting under a shade tree in his swing, traveling and camping with family, especially with the grandkids. Carl and Myrt spent many weeks a year traveling the United States and Canada in their motorhome. They always planned a couple of trips a year to camp in the Great Smoky Mountains at Cades Cove.

The son of the late Herbert Earl and Lena Mae Smith Willingham, Carl was born in Hall County, Georgia on May 22, 1927. He spent his childhood/early teens growing up on the family farm in Wilcox County, Georgia. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Myrtice “Myrt” Barrentine Willingham; son, Earl Dwain Willingham, Sr.; son-in-law, D. Ray Thomas; sisters, Melba Hayes and Bernice Martin; and grandson, Michael William Smith.

He was a loving son, husband, father, and Gran Gran (grandfather). His memory will forever be cherished by his two daughters, Pamela Cook (Kenneth) of Perry and Lynn Smith (Melvin) of Lizella; daughter-in-law, Frances Willingham of Acworth; eight grandchildren, Angela Dubois, Mike Thomas, Dwain Thomas, Tracy Thomas, Michelle Bily, Carl Willingham II, Earl Willingham, Jr, and Melvin Smith II; 16 great grandchildren; 10 great-great grandchildren; and special friend, Effie Cast.

Visitation will be held on Monday, May 16, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at McCullough Funeral Home. A funeral service celebrating his life will immediately follow at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of McCullough Funeral Home. Following the service, Carl will be laid to rest at Glen Haven Memorial Gardens with military honors. Carl will lie in repose at the funeral home from Saturday at noon until the day of the service.

Learn more about the measures McCullough Funeral Home is taking to ensure the health and safety of our guests at www.mcculloughfh.com. There you can also sign an Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.