John R. “Fat Rat” Wills, 66, of Circleville, passed away Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, at Genesis Healthcare after an extended illness.
He was born Sept. 22, 1949, in Lancaster, the son of the late Robert and Agnes (Knotts) Wills.
He was also preceded in death by his father-in-law, Dallas Hinkle; and sister-in-law, Vicki Valentine.
John was a 1967 graduate of Circleville High School and was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving during the Vietnam War.
He had worked at the Circleville Herald upon graduation and was manager of Circleville’s State Liquor Store until it was privatized.
John was a member of the Elks and was a lifetime member of the AMVETS and VFW.
John enjoyed telling stories and jokes, never met a stranger and was always the life of the party. He and wife, Lisa, loved having friends and family gather at their place to watch sports or celebrate holidays. He was a huge fan of the OSU Buckeyes and Cleveland Browns.
John, along with several friends, built what is known as “the Deer Cabin” and were able to enjoy going there for many years. He also enjoyed the game of golf, and on the day he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at age 50, he hit a hole in one.
John is survived by his loving wife, Lisa (Hinkle) Wills; step-sons, Scott (Amy) Ferrell and Chad Ferrell; step-grandson, Luke Ferrell; brother, Peter Wills; nephew, Ben Wills; niece, Cindy (Lonnie) Smith; great-nephews, Jackson and Brandon Smith; and mother-in-law, Sybil Hinkle.
An Elks service will be held at 4 p.m. followed by a Celebration of Life service on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016, at Defenbaugh-Wise-Schoedinger Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. until the time of the service. Military service will be provided by AMVETS Post 2256 Honor Guard.
Memorial contributions may be made to National MS Society, PO Box 4527, New York, NY 10163.
To send condolences, visit www.schoedinger.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pickaway News Journal
