James Willis

My Life Story James “Jim” D. Willis passed away peacefully at home on August 20, 2017. He was 97 years old. Jim leaves this life to join his wife, Wanda. Born to Grover and Jewel Willis on April 29, 1920 in Spring Fork, Missouri, Jim was one of 5 children. When the family moved to Oregon, Jim quit school and worked odd jobs around the West with his older brother to help support the family. He joined the Army in 1942 and landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day. He saw action in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany and fought in the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944-45. Jim married Wanda Rogers in 1948 and they started a life and family in Nyssa, Oregon. Moving to, and settling in Kuna, Idaho, the couple owned and operated the Willis Dept. Store for 25 years. Evenings and weekends would find Jim in the Idaho Mountains searching for rocks or fishing with his family. During his life, Jim raised sheep and cows on their 2 acre corner of Kuna. He maintained an amazing garden, seasonal flowers, and numerous fantastic trees. In retirement, Jim turned his full attention to his love of gardening, producing fruit and vegetables for many years. He is survived by his daughter, Tanna Willis and son, Gerald "Jerry" Willis; his grandchildren: Aarin Wolfe and Mike Critz, Jennifer, Brian, Adam, and Sean Willis; his great grandchildren: Robert and Anndra Boyack, Ashley and Parker Critz, and Hunter Willis; and his great great grandchildren: Ti Boyack-Forbes, and Annistyn and Azalay Beach. Graveside services will be held at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 28th at the Kuna Cemetery, 1321 W. Boise St. Remembrances may be left for the family on Jim’s webpage at www.AccentFuneral.com. Services are under the direction of Accent Funeral Home and Cremation, Meridian. Jim will be remembered as a valued member of the community; a strong man, who loved his family fiercely.