Edward Willette

Ed Willette, age 79, of Greenwood, Missouri died on December 4, 2017. Per his request, he will be cremated and a Celebration of Life will be held at Longview Funeral Home, 12700 S Raytown Rd, KCMO on Saturday, December 9th from 1:00 – 3:00 pm, with a time for sharing memories. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Wayside Waifs in Kansas City, MO.

Edward was born in Brattleboro, Vermont on February 9th, 1938. As a young child, he moved with his family to West Chesterfield, NH. After graduating from St. Michael’s High School in Brattleboro, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. As an enlisted member of the Air Force, he served as an Intelligence Specialist for ten years at Shepherd AFB, Texas; Langley AFB, Virginia; South Ruislip, England; RAF Base Alconbury, England and Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. After completing his bachelor’s degree at the University of Arizona and completing Officer’s Training School as a Distinguished Military Graduate, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. For the next fourteen years, he served as a Procurement Officer until his retirement as a Major on September 1st, 1980. During this period, he served at Niagara Falls, New York; Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio (where he received his master’s degree); Teheran, Iran; Wiesbaden, Germany; Richards-Gebaur AFB and Whiteman AFB in Missouri. In addition to receiving numerous awards and honors during his 24 year career, he was awarded two Meritorious Service medals and four Air Force Commendation medals. After leaving the Air Force, Edward worked as a purchasing supervisor at the Honeywell plant on Bannister Road in Kansas City, MO. In 1992, he took an early retirement, and started an income tax business which he successfully operated until selling his company in 2007. Ed was a very devoted husband, father, and grandfather and will be sorely missed by his family and friends. His primary retirement interests were playing golf with old friends and watching his four highly talented granddaughters’ very active participation in various sports.

Edward was preceded in death by his father, Edward J. Willette; mother, Bertha M. (O’Neill) Bacon; his beloved oldest son, Wayne E. Willette; sister, Joan Hall; and special friend, Austin. He was married to Patricia Snow on June 3rd, 1961 in Ruislip Manor, England. She survives, along with: his daughter, Michelle R. Plummer and her husband, Michael D. Plummer; son, Scott B. Willette; four grandchildren: Andrea, Brooke & Josh Wolfe, Christina, and Daphne Plummer; great-grandchild: Gracelyn Wolfe and a boy on the way; his brother, John A. Willette; sisters: Kathryn Wolfe, Margaret Willette, and Tina Shakespeare.