Ssgt. Harold Mercer Willis, Usaf (Ret.)

On the afternoon of Monday, March 7, 2022, our father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and brother, Harold Mercer Willis, joined his beloved wife, Mary Kathleen Willis, in Heaven. He was 90 years old. He was the son of the late Gordon Mercer and Anna Lee Grimsley Willis.

Born and raised in Twiggs County, GA, Harold graduated from Twiggs County High School and promptly joined the United States Army where he served during the Korean War and earned a Purple Heart. After his time in the Army, he joined the United States Air Force and worked as a lineman for Comm. E and I. For over 23 years, Harold proudly served his country and was instrumental in the Korean and Vietnam Wars; he eventually retired on January 31, 1975, having attained the rank of Staff Sergeant.

Following his military career, Harold went on to work as a heavy equipment operator for Hubert Chalk Mines, then as a mechanic for Midas Muffler and Meineke Muffler. He enjoyed working hard and wasn’t content to retire until he reached the age of 76. When he wasn’t working, Harold devoted his time to being an accomplished racecar driver, no matter where he was stationed with the military. He raced on both dirt and asphalt tracks in Germany, Tacoma, WA, and at the Cochran Motor Speedway. Harold also loved playing his hand at Pinochle, and fishing, especially fly fishing with his grandkids. Cathedral of Christ Baptist Church was his church home.

In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters and one brother.

Those left to cherish his memory are his loving children, R. Michael Willis, Sr. (Kathryn) of Valdosta, Gary G. Willis (Martha) of Twiggs County, Sherry L. Mixon (Jerry) of Macon, and Sharon A. Kelley (Doug), Mary A. Tucker (Herman) and Connie M. Plunkett (Wayne), all of Byron; 18 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and brother, Billy T. Willis (Nancy) of Clearwater, FL.

Visitation will be Wednesday, March 9, 2022, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at McCullough Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 10, 2021, in the chapel of McCullough Funeral Home, with Pastor Rick Parsons, Sr., officiating. Harold will be laid to rest next to Mary in Glen Haven Memorial Gardens following the service.

Memorial donations may be given in memory of Harold to the Alzheimer’s Association, 886 Mulberry St., Macon, GA 31201 or to the American Cancer Society, 804 Cherry St., Ste. A., Macon, GA 31201.

For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.

Learn about the measures McCullough Funeral Home is taking to ensure the health and safety of our guests at 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.