By Oakley H.R. No. 95
74R4838 BNL-D
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The passing of former Representative Phillip
1-2 LaFrance Willis on January 25, 1995, at the age of 76, has brought
1-3 a great loss to the people of Texas and to the many relatives and
1-4 friends of this admirable individual; and
1-5 WHEREAS, A native Texan, he was born in Kaufman County on
1-6 August 2, 1918, and was the youngest son of Alvin Samuel and Eliza
1-7 Phillips Willis; and
1-8 WHEREAS, Upon graduation from the University of North Texas,
1-9 this patriotic gentleman entered the U.S. Army Air Corps Flying
1-10 Cadet Training School in October 1940; he was commissioned as a
1-11 second lieutenant in August 1941 and was assigned to the 86th
1-12 Observation Squadron, Bellows Field, Hawaii; and
1-13 WHEREAS, He was to have married his sweetheart, Marilyn
1-14 Stubblefield, in Hawaii during the Christmas season of 1941, but on
1-15 December 7th, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and its
1-16 surrounding air bases, prompting Lieutenant Willis to leap to quick
1-17 defense of his base; and
1-18 WHEREAS, This heroic pilot flew one of the two 86th
1-19 Observation Squadron planes that became airborne that day; after
1-20 his plane was destroyed during the second attack, he was assigned
1-21 as ranking officer to beach patrol, and at daybreak, December 8,
1-22 1941, Lieutenant Willis captured the United States' first prisoner
1-23 of war in World War II, the surviving member of a two-man Japanese
1-24 suicide submarine caught on a reef; and
2-1 WHEREAS, This courageous soldier then volunteered to become a
2-2 B-17 bomber pilot and in June 1942, during the Battle of Midway, he
2-3 was credited with sinking a key Japanese target, thereby earning
2-4 the prestigious Silver Star for gallantry in action; and
2-5 WHEREAS, Throughout his remarkable military service,
2-6 Mr. Willis would receive numerous medals and decorations, including
2-7 the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf
2-8 Cluster, the Presidential Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster, the
2-9 World War II Victory Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
2-10 with Bronze Star, the Air Force Combat Readiness Medal, the Joint
2-11 Service Achievement Medal, and the Pearl Harbor Commemorative
2-12 Medal, along with eight theater and service medals; and
2-13 WHEREAS, After returning to the United States, he married
2-14 Marilyn on August 30, 1943, and the couple were blessed with two
2-15 beautiful daughters, Linda and Rosemary; and
2-16 WHEREAS, By the time he retired at the age of 28, he had
2-17 risen to the rank of major; he was later elected, along with his
2-18 brother, our esteemed colleague, the Honorable Doyle Willis, to the
2-19 Texas Legislature, where both brothers share the distinction of
2-20 being the only siblings to have served two consecutive terms
2-21 together in the Texas House of Representatives; and
2-22 WHEREAS, While a member of the House, Mr. Willis served with
2-23 honor and distinction, chairing the Committee on Constitutional
2-24 Amendments and sponsoring several important pieces of legislation;
2-25 and
2-26 WHEREAS, After retiring from legislative service, Mr. Willis
2-27 settled his family in San Antonio and became President and chief
3-1 executive officer of Phil Willis, Co., a real estate brokerage
3-2 company, thus beginning his distinguished career as a builder and
3-3 developer; and
3-4 WHEREAS, Driven by his strong sense of community spirit,
3-5 Mr. Willis served his friends and neighbors in San Antonio as a
3-6 member of both the City of San Antonio Zoning and Planning
3-7 Commission and the San Antonio Board of Realtors; and
3-8 WHEREAS, The 1960s saw the Willis family move to Dallas,
3-9 where Mr. Willis established himself as a real estate broker,
3-10 specializing in farm and ranch land, and served on the Dallas Board
3-11 of Realtors and the Texas Association of Realtors; and
3-12 WHEREAS, Mr. Willis was also a valued civic leader, with
3-13 memberships in the Masonic Lodge, the Mounted Sons of the Desert,
3-14 the Sons of the Republic of Texas, the Sons of Confederate War
3-15 Veterans, the Texas Democratic Party, which he served as a precinct
3-16 election judge, and numerous veterans organizations; and
3-17 WHEREAS, Throughout his exceptional life, Phillip LaFrance
3-18 Willis earned the respect and admiration of all who were privileged
3-19 to know him; a man of great character, determination, and courage,
3-20 his memory will surely live on through the lasting legacy of
3-21 achievement he leaves behind; now, therefore, be it
3-22 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
3-23 Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life and service of Phillip
3-24 LaFrance Willis and extend deepest sympathy to the members of his
3-25 family: to his wife of 51 years, Marilyn Willis; to his children,
3-26 Linda Willis Pipes and Rosemary Willis Roach; to his brother and
3-27 our esteemed colleague, the Honorable Doyle Willis; and to all the
4-1 friends and relatives of this beloved gentleman; and, be it further
4-2 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
4-3 prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas
4-4 House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of
4-5 Phillip LaFrance Willis.