Everett Monford Willman, 85, of Oconto Falls, passed away at Sharpe Care Nursing Home on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015. He was diagnosed in December 2013 with pancreatic cancer and chose to live out his life the best he could.
He was born March 9, 1930, in Tinley Park, Illinois, to Alfreda (Schultes) Willman and John Frederick Willman. Everett graduated from Thornton High School, Harvey, Illinois, in 1949. He married Jeanne Reynolds on March 21, 1951. He entered the Air Force and was stationed one year in Korea during the Korean War and was discharged in 1953. They lived in Abrams from 1971 to 1975 and Stiles from 1975 to 1993.
Everett was a truck driver for 41 years. In 1979 he taught his wife how to drive semi, and they did team driving for United Van Lines all over the United States and Canada. Among their jobs, they moved many things, from furniture to music stars with all of their equipment, to various venues when touring around the country. They both retired in 1993 from truck driving and moved to Hurdle Mills, North Carolina, until October 2012, when they moved back to Oconto Falls.
They attend the United Methodist Church in Oconto Falls. He was a member of the Oconto Falls Book Club and had many interesting stories to tell a very captive group and always had a big smile for everyone and a wonderful sense of humor. He will truly be missed by many. While in North Carolina they belonged to the Mount Zion United Methodist Church, where he sang in the choir and was president of the Men’s Club for several years. He was active in Person County Health and Hospice, where he received numerous awards including 10 years from 1996-2006 the Outstanding Senior Citizens award from Roxboro’s JCs. They were also founding members of the HIV Task Force and received the 1999 Governor’s World Aid Day Volunteer Appreciation Award, Piedmont HIV Health Care Community Service Award and the Judith Lund Person Volunteer Award. For 14 years they worked for the Meals on Wheels program delivering meals to individual homes.
He was loved and admired by all his family and all of his children, many grandchildren, nieces and nephews, brother and sister-in-law, who all came to visit him in the last year of his life.
Everett is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Jeanne Willman; three sons, Gregg (Sue), Austin, Texas, Brad (Cassie), Durham, North Carolina, and John, Durham, North Carolina; one daughter, Tamara (Oscar) Kardoskee, Oconto Falls; eight grandchildren, Eric (Yuki) Willman, Austin, Texas, Shannon (David) Cardona, Austin, Texas, Jason (Julie) Kardoskee, Oconto Falls, Laura (Eric) Reimer, Oconomowoc, Kevin (Amy) Kardoskee, Oconto Falls, Brandon (Jeannette) Willman, Durham, North Carolina, Johnathon Willman, Durham, North Carolina, and Jessica Willman, Durham, North Carolina; nine great-grandchildren; one brother, Fred, and Mary Jane, Willman, of Eureka Springs, Arkansas; and 13 nieces and nephews.
Everett will be cremated. A celebration of Everett’s life will be held at the United Methodist Church in Oconto Falls on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 6:30 p.m. with the Rev. Dave Henke officiating.
Please visit rhodescharapata.com to express online condolences.
In lieu of flowers, memorials would be appreciated to the Oconto Falls United Methodist Church or Mount Zion United Methodist Church, Hurdle Mills, North Carolina.
Everett’s family would like to thank Unity Hospice and Sharpe Care Nursing Home and all their wonderful employees for the care and compassion they gave Everett and his family.
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