Francis "Fran" Gordon Willis

Francis “Fran” Gordon Willis, 79, of Beaufort, passed away on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, at Crystal Coast Hospice House.

His funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, October 18, at Munden Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Vergie Mae Cemetery on Harkers Island. The family will receive friends an hour prior to the funeral service. For those unable to attend, the service can be viewed through his obituary page on Munden Funeral Home’s website. The service will remain on the Funeral Home website for 90 days.         (See link below for the Service Bulletin including the Order of Service.)

Fran was born on October 2, 1943, in Morehead City, North Carolina, to the late Jesse Gordon Willis and Ella Frances Davis Willis. Growing up on Harkers Island, Fran graduated from Smyrna High School. After pursuing higher education at East Carolina University, he worked with Coastal Geodetic Survey before he was accepted into the Apprentice School at the Naval Air Rework Facility at Cherry Point, currently known as FRC-East. Fran worked in various positions throughout his career, providing support to aircraft repair/support, acquisition, maintenance, and logistics/analysis. In July of 2006, Fran retired with 38 years of Federal Service. Following his retirement, he also worked with General Dynamics and Zenetec for a few years.

Fran loved going to Cape Lookout where he spent many memorable summers at his parent’s cottage in the Cape Lookout Village area. He often shared stories of his fun times, fishing, oystering, mulleting and palling around with his Golden Retriever, Buddyroe.

He is survived by his loving wife, Cheryl Markham Willis of the home; son, Richard G. Willis of Newland, NC; grandson, Scott G. Willis of Kemah, TX; sisters, Janet W. Gillikin of Harkers lsland and Hollie W. Gaskill (Thad) of Beaufort; brother, Roland A. Willis (Suzanne) of Beaufort; aunts, Rebecca Willis and Leona Hall, both of Harkers Island; uncle, Sonny Davis of Morehead City; nieces, Jessica W. Cooper of Beaufort and Caroline Willis of Hampton, VA; nephew, Jonathan W. Gillikin of Harkers Island; and numerous other nieces, nephews, and cousins in the Carteret County area.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his nieces, Willa Gillikin Rothrock and Kimberly Pearl Willis; nephew, Craig B. Gillikin; and brother-in-law, William Walker Gillikin.

As an expression of sympathy, flowers are welcome or memorial contributions may be made to Harkers Island United Methodist Church, 603 Cape Lookout Dr., Harkers Island, NC 28531 or the Crystal Coast Hospice House, P.O. Box 640, Newport, NC 28570.

Family and friends are welcome to submit online condolences at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory in Morehead City, NC.