William P. "Bill" Willis Jr., formerly of Clarksville, of Ellicott City, died June 2, 2008, of pneumonia, at The Heartlands Retirement Community, in Ellicott City. He was 88.

Born Sept. 21, 1919, in Atlanta, to William P. Sr. and Essie Lee McDonald Willis, he graduated from Boys High School, in Atlanta, in 1934.

In 1934, he attended Georgia Military Academy, followed by two years at Georgia Tech, where he received an ROTC appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.

He graduated ninth in his class from the Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1942 as an ensign in the U.S. Navy. During that time, the Japanese had just bombed Pearl Harbor. He served in World War II aboard the USS Hoe, where he was a gunnery officer. At the close of the war, Mr. Willis served as executive officer of the USS Skipjack and the USS Tiru, as well as commanding officer of the USS Greenfish.

In 1960, Mr. Willis joined the U.S. Navy's nuclear program. He became the Blue skipper of SSBN Sam Houston, a submarine propelled by nuclear power, which carried ballistic missiles. He was discharged from the Navy in 1964. For his service, he was awarded a Bronze Star, a Silver Star, and a Letter of Commendation.

He married Anne Brooks in 1941.

Mr. Willis began working in the submarine division of Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, where he was employed for 20 years. He retired in 1986.

Family members recall that he spent his time playing tennis, fishing, hunting and doing cabinetry in his shop. He also enjoyed boxing, lacrosse and sailing.

He was a member of the Clarksville Lions Club and volunteered his time with the Lazarus Foundation in Columbia for more then 10 years, rebuilding computers that were donated to schools.

In addition to his wife of 66 years, Mr. Willis is survived by a son, William Paul Willis III, of Skamania, Wash.; a daughter, Rebecca Anne Willis Gabor, of New Kensington, Pa.; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

An open house is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008, 2-to-4:30 p.m., at Claret Hall, 6020 Daybreak Circle, Clarksville.

Funeral services and interment are scheduled for Monday, Aug. 25, 2008, 3 p.m., at Arlington National Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to Chesapeake Bay Foundation, 6 Herndon Ave., Annapolis, MD 21043 or to: National Wildlife Federation, 1100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190-5362, or to: WBJC, 6776 Reistertown Road, Suite 202, Baltimore, MD 21215, or to: WETA, 2775 South Quincy St., Arlington, VA 22206.

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