David Harlan Willis

David Harlan Willis of 11 Marble Street, Rome, passed away at his home on September 19,2019. He was 68 years old . He fought well through several years of diminishing health. Dave was born in Rome, Ga on October 6, 1950. He was proceeded in death by his parents Harlan and Edith Willis of Rome, Ga., His paternal grandparents Rubin and Hattie Willis of Rome, GA. His maternal grandparents Bascomb and Lenor Cowan of Rome, his Uncle and Aunt Bill and Evelyn Willis, of Rome, his Aunt Virginia and Uncle Robert Wiggins,his parents-in law, Cohen and Becky Martin, other uncles and aunts; and his only son, David Martin “Marty” Willis in 2013, at the age of 29. He is survived by his wife of 48 years Peggy Martin Willis, who was his High School Sweetheart, his sister Myra Willis Hargrove and her husband Art of Eatonton, GA , a nephew Arthur Hargrove and his wife, Jennifer, his grand niece and nephew Hannah and Ryan Hargrove of Covington, GA. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Becky Lucas and her husband Smith, of Rome, his brother-in-law, Tom Martin and his wife Susan of Newnan, GA, his niece Hannah Simpson and her husband Daniel of Calhoun, his nephew Jonathan Lucas and his wife April of Rome; and other cousins. Dave graduated from Model High School in 1968. He attended Southern Mississippi University from 1968-1969. He received a welding certificate from Coosa Valley Tech in 1970 and a Technical certificate in 1972. Later, after going to special night classes for several years, offered to working people, he graduated from Shorter College in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He worked at Dempsey Dairy during his high school years. He worked for S. I. Story Lumber Company from 1972-1976. He worked at Georgia Power's Plant Hammond as an Instrumentation Technician and as Safety Director from 1976-2014-( 38 years,) when he retired. He had many wonderful friends at Plant Hammond and loved working with people he considered family. He accepted Jesus as his Savior when he was 12 years old while going to Oostanalla Methodist Church with his parents. Later he and his wife, Peggy and his son Marty became a members of 1st Presbyterian Church in Rome where he taught a boys Sunday School class for 2 years and was active in the men's group for many years. Dave's “other love” was Rome Little Theater. His first introduction to RLT was in 1995 as a “stage parent” for his son and as Otto Frank in “Diary of Anne Frank”. After that, he was hooked and over a 15 year period, honed his acting skill by playing several memorable characters in several memorable plays including “Twelve Angry Men”, “Into the Woods”, “Inherit the Wind”, “Fall of the House of Usher”and “Fagan” in” Oliver Twist” and several others. If he could not be “out front” he was almost as happy working backstage, especially as a stage manager. He said it was the only time he got to “boss other people around”! He was Stage Manager for many wonderful shows like “My Fair Lady”, “The Sound of Music”, “Clue, the Musical” and “Steel Magnolias”. He truly appreciated all the moving parts to a good play, from first read- through to tearing down the set. He was very humbled and in awe of the many talented people he was able to get to know and work with at RLT. It was his other family. Dave was an avid reader and could read 3 books at a time and not confuse the characters! He was smart,sharp, quick witted, funny and an unashamed “expert” on any given subject! One of his favorite expressions was ..”And in my never to be humble opinion.....”! He loved the old Westerns, like “Roy Rogers”. His favorite Western was “Lonesome Dove” and he could recite each main character's lines right along with them. After retirement Dave spent time with his good friends at Crazy Acres Bar and Grill where they solved all of the world's problems over a couple of beers in two hours time! He was a loyal, loving friend to many and was not ashamed to look someone in the eye, man or woman and say “I love you!” To say I will miss this wonderful husband, companion and friend who has shared this life with me: the ups and downs and gains and losses, always accepting my many flaws in such an easy loving way; is the understatement of my life.