Stacey Norman Willis, 24, of Tifton died Friday, October 21, 2011, at Columbus Regional Medical Center in Columbus. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, October 24, 2011, at the First Baptist Church in Norman Park. Rev. Jimmy Voyles and Rev. Shane Ashley will officiate with burial to follow in Weeks Chapel Cemetery in Cool Springs. Military personnel will serve as pallbearers. The family will receive friends on Sunday, October 23, 2011, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Mr. Willis will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service.
Mr. Willis was born on May 22, 1987 in Tift County and was the son of Tim Willis and his fiancé, Kim Jones, of Norman Park and Amanda and Jerry Merritt of Tifton. He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Alex Fox and Ben Willis. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and listening to music. He loved spending time with family and friends, especially his son. He was of the Methodist faith.
PV2 Willis joined the Army on January 4, 2006 and completed his 9-week Basic Combat Training out of Fort Sill, Oklahoma in February 2006. He then went on to Redstone Arsenal, Alabama in March 2006, where he obtained his Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) as an 89B (Ammunition Specialist). PV2 Willis’ duties as an Ammunition Specialist was to assist in the receipt, storage, issue, maintenance, modification, destruction and demilitarization of explosive items. He performed ammunition supply stock control and accounting duties, using both automated and manual procedures. He was extremely skillful in operating the Material Handling Equipment to maneuver ammunition. On August 13, 2008, PV2 Willis was assigned to the ACO 203 BSB, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division out of Fort Benning. PV2 Willis deployed from October 2009 to October 2010 with his unit to FOB Kalsu, Iskandariya Iraq. PV2 Willis was always motivated as a soldier. If something needed to be done, he was always the first one volunteer, without hesitation. He was the type that could get along with anybody. If you ever needed someone to just talk to, PV2 Willis was your guy. If you ever thought you had a story that couldn’t be beat, PV2 Willis would have a story that definitely took the cake. PV2 Willis wasn’t a very big guy, but somehow, he always seemed to maintain a 270 on a 300-point scale, one of the top physical fitness scores in the unit. Throughout PV2 Willis’ 6-year service to the United States Army, he was awarded the Army Accommodation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon. PV2 Willis left us on October 21, 2011. “PV2 Willis, even though you’re gone, you will not be forgotten. Your death left a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can steal. You will always be a part of the 203rd BSB, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division. SLEDGEHAMMER!”
In addition to his parents, Mr. Willis is survived by his grandmothers, Martha Fox and Pat Willis, both of Tifton; his fiancé, Heather Woods Tawzer of Tifton; one son, Timmy Willis of Tifton; Wesley Tawzer of Tifton, who he thought of as a son; one brother and sister-in-law, Zachary and Karah Willis of Lakeland; and one nephew, Chance Willis of Lakeland.