Carthage - Willis Sylvester Wear, 82, 209 First St., a retired construction worker and farmer, died at 6:50 p.m. Saturday at his home.

He was born Oct. 15, 1906 at Joetta, the son of James and Mary Belknap Wear.  He married Do[r]othea Johnson at Macomb on April 19, 1958.  He was a member of the Carthage Immanual Lutheran Church and an army veteran of World War II.

Surviving are his wife; three daughters, Barbara Sullivan of Ipava, Mrs. Wayne (Deloros) Burkhart of Memphis, Mo., and Mrs. Richard (Wanda) Mustard of Plymouth; five stepdaughters, Mrs. David (Reva) Myers of Mount Sterling, Mrs. Donald (Esther) Totsch of Carthage, Mrs. Ronald (Janice) Ufkes of San Bernadino, Calif., Mrs. Ronald (Kathryn) Eichman of Bowen and Mrs. Floyd (Sarah) Kreps of Macomb; one stepson, Mark Wear of Hamilton; one brother, Roll Wear of Denver, Ill.; two sisters, Mrs. George (Opal) Burton of Colchester and Juanita Burrow of Owasso, Okla.; 19 stepgrandchildren and 12 stepgreat-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by one brother.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Lamporte Funeral Home in Carthage. Pastor Alfred Kruse will conduct services and burial will be in Mount Auburn Cemetery at Colchester. Carthage Veterans of Foreign Wars Post will conduct military rites at the grave.

Friends may call at the funeral home.  There will be no family visitation.

Memorials may be left at the funeral home in his memory.

Obituary from the collection of Irvin A. Pogue.  Early photo of Willis from his Woodville School days, from the collection of Norine Barb Cole.  Click on the picture to view the entire image.

Willis Wear was first married to Louise Bright, daughter of Ross D. Bright and Grace G. Strong.

See also: Alfred & Margaret Goodman Wear (Willis' grandparents)

Wear, Ellridge, head, male, white, 38, married (1st) for 7 years, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, spoke English, farmer, general farm, employer, could read and write, rented his farm home, farm schedule 134

Mary; mother of 2 children, both living; born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write

Ople, daughter, female, white, 5, single, born IL, both parents born IL, had attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Willis, son, male, white, 3, single, born IL, both parents born IL

Wear, Albert J, head, rented his home, male, white, 44, married, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, farmer, general farm, working on own account, farm
schedule 134

Mary M, wife, female, white, 39, married, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Opal E, daughter, female, white, 14, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Willis S, son, male, white, 13, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

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Wear, Juanita, daughter, female, white, 9, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Roland W, son, male, white, 6, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, born IL, both parents born IL

Olland, son, male, white, 1 4/12, single, born IL, both parents born IL

February 18, 1925: Willis Wear purchased the Ford car that belonged to Homer Robinson, of Colchester.

September 22, 1926: Willis Wear had the misfortune of dislocating some of the bones in his wrist, due to a fall.

October 6, 1926: Willis Wear and sister Juanita of Colchester, Wm, Minnie and Pearl Johnson spent Friday evening at the G. C. Larson home.

October 13, 1926: Willis Wear went to Mendon Sunday evening to work.

Wear, Elbridge J, head, renter, [no entry for home value], did not own a radio, lived on a farm, male, white, 54, married, age at first marriage - 30, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, farmer, general farm, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no, farm schedule 14

Mary, wife, female, white, 49, married, age at first marriage - 25, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Willis, son, male, white, 23, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, laborer, farm hand, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no

Roll, son, male, white, 16, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1929, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Olan, son, male, white, 11, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1929, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Burrow, Juneta, daughter, female, white, 19, married, age at first marriage - 18, had not attended school after Sept. 1, 1929, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Mary M, granddaughter, female, white, 1/12, single, born IL, both parents born IL