Mitchell C. Willis, 93, a resident of Reading, MA for 52 years, passed away peacefully at his home on January 18, 2014. Mitch was born Boston, Massachusetts on October 17, 1920 to Jacob Willis, from Poland, and Anastasia (Nancy Oracz) Willis, from the Ukraine.
A Disabled American Veteran, he served 5 years during World War II and was honorably discharged in 1945 with a back injury due to a crash landing in Greenland.
At 17, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, stationed in Riekjavik, Iceland, Newfoundland and Greenland, flying bomber patrol for submarines over the Atlantic. At 18, he joined the U.S. Army Air Force and was assigned as a flight instructor stationed at Lackland Air Force base, San Antonio, TX, Pease Air Force Base, Portsmouth, NH and Hanscom Air Force Base, Bedford, MA where they would chase cows off the field for the planes to land.

After the service, he attended Boston University for two years and then worked with Dr. Land in developing the Polaroid camera. He was in the insurance industry for 50+ years, and established his own agency as an independent broker. He was elected director of Boston Life Underwriters Association and treasurer of the Massachusetts Association of Public Health Underwriters. He qualified for the 1980 Million Dollar Round Table, one of the most prestigious organizations in the life insurance industry where $1.5 million worth of premiums must be sold in one year.

Mitch was a member of the Wakefield Elks Lodge 1276 for 25 years. He was an avid swimmer (in the Charles River and Boston harbor as a child) and bowler, and an excellent cook. He also had a passion for scuba diving and was a scuba diving instructor. A great teller of jokes, he had an endless supply committed to memory. Mitch enjoyed many summers on Cape Cod, and later in life, winters in Cape Coral, FL

Mitch was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend. He was married for 52 years to Edna C. (Hollerieth) Willis of Hartford, CT. A prolific procreator, he fathered 8 children (5 from a previous marriage) and is survived by: Mitchell C. Willis, II and Pamela of Stafford Springs, CT; Anna Nancy Willis and husband Vincent Kiewlen of Bonita Springs, FL; Beverley Eager and Alex of Sarasota, FL; Constance Wocell and Christopher of Guilford, VT; Geraldine Arab and Nasser of Naples, FL; Christine Willis of Quincy, MA; Christopher Willis and Michelle of Wilmington, MA; and Frederick Willis and Melissa of Woburn, MA. He had 13 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren and one great great granddaughter. He was predeceased by his grandson, Paul Willis. He was the brother of the late John Willis and uncle of David Tracey of Oregon.

A funeral service celebrating his life will be held on Thursday, January 23 at 10:30 AM at the Douglass, Edgerley and Bessom Funeral home 25 Sanborn St. (corner of Woburn St.) Reading. Funeral home visiting hours will be Wednesday from 4-8PM with an Elks Service at 7PM. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Mitch's memory to the Alzheimer's Assoc. 480 Pleasant St. Watertown, MA 02472. For on line guest book, directions and information visit johnbdouglassfuneralhome