Major Retired Jr.

Closed casket services are scheduled at 2:00 p.m. Friday, July 8 at First Baptist Church for Major Laurence V. Willard, Jr., Artesia, New Mexico. PMajor Willard, 81, died Tuesday, July 5, 2005 at his home. PRev. Mark Simons will officiate at the services. Interment will follow at Woodbine Cemetery with Veterans graveside rites. Pallbearers will be grandsons Allen R. Willard, Kevin A. Willard and Ben M. Currier; and Cliff Currier, Matthew Santillanes and Carlos Guerrero. Visitation at Terpening amp; Son Mortuary will begin at 10:00 a.m. Thursday. PMajor Willard was born September 3, 1923 in Ponca City, Oklahoma; the son of Laurence V. Willard and Mary Frances Parkins Willard. PAfter graduation from Washington Rural High School in Kansas City, Kansas he attended the University of Kansas. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1942 and served in World War II. He was an Aircraft Commander and Bomber Pilot. He flew in the Berlin Airlift, served in the Military Air Transport Service, AACS and the Strategic Air Command. He flew DC-3 Cargo Planes, B-47 and B-52 Bombers. He served in Japan, Germany, the Alaskan Air Command and retired from the 303d Bombardment Wing, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona in 1963. PAfter retirement he continued his aviation career as a private pilot and flight instructor. He taught Ground School at the College of Artesia and taught many people from the area to fly. POn Sept. 2, 1945 he was married to Chrystine Anderson in Artesia. He came to Artesia in July, 1963 from Tucson. PHe was a past member of Artesia Downtown Lions Club, a member of the American Legion; was leader of Troop 28 Air Explorers of Boy Scouts of America; was a member of the National Rifle Association; and the National Association of Flight Instructors. PHe was preceded in death by his parents and by a sister Mary Sue Willard. PSurvivors include his wife Chrystine Willard of the family home; children Laurence David Willard of Albuquerque, N.M., Cheryl Currier and husband Cliff of Artesia; and Steve Willard and wife Judy of Artesia; a brother William E. Willard and wife Jean of Wichita, Kansas; a sister Janice Potter and husband Marvin of Kansas City, Kansas; grandchildren Ben Currier and wife Margaret, Heather Santillanes and husband Matthew, and Christy Bentz and husband John all of Albuquerque, and Allen R. Willard and Kevin A. Willard both of Artesia; and great-grandchildren Kimberly Gordon and Matthew Bentz.
The family suggests memorials be made to the Paralyzed Veterans of America,801 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006 pva.org; Alzheimer's Association,404 12 N. Kentucky, Roswell, NM 88201 www.nm-alzheimers.org; U.S.O., Box 96860, Washington, DC 20090-6860 uso.org; or to a charity of choice.