Gene Wills

Gene Earl Wills, 81, of Millersville passed away Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017, at his home.

He was born May 22, 1936, near Millersville to Earl M. and Opal O. Martin Wills. Gene and Anna Lee “Ann” Haupt were married April 10, 1960, at Old Salem Methodist Church near Millersville. Two sons were born to their union.

Gene was a 1954 graduate of Jackson High School and was the first to achieve the American Farmer Degree, which is awarded to students who have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to FFA.

He served honorably in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, and graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with an agriculture-business degree.

Gene was a lifelong farmer, raising registered polled Hereford cattle. In 1968, he established Wills Insurance Services, a family-owned, independent, multi-line agency in Jackson. The agency first was affiliated with the former Citizens Mutual, which primarily focused on rural customers. Later, Citizens merged with Columbia Insurance Group. Gene sat on the board of both companies and was a director emeritus. He was a member and former president of the Missouri Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and a member of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.

Gene was former member of the Jackson R-2 School Board; a board member of the former Cape County Bank and the former Union Planters Bank; a former 4-H leader; a member of the Millersville Masonic Lodge; and helped establish the Millersville Fire Department.

He and Ann were former members of Old Salem Methodist Church, where Gene served as a lay minister. In 1973, they joined First Baptist Church in Millersville. Gene was a deacon, taught Sunday school and was instrumental in the building program.

Loving survivors include his wife of 57 years, Ann Wills of Millersville; two sons, Alan (Karen) Wills and Brent (Lori) Wills, both of Jackson; four grandchildren, Trent (Charity) Wills, Alyssa (Nick) Hermann, Kyla (Chris) Naeter and son Nathan, and Brandon Wills and fiancée Haley Rightnowar, all of Jackson.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today in Chapel A of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson, and 10 a.m. to service time Thursday at First Baptist Church in Millersville.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the church, with the Rev. Nathan Eikenberry officiating. Burial will follow at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to First Baptist Church of Millersville or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.