James Ralph Wills, 92 of Springfield, MO, died at 5:00pm on August 4 ^th , 2020 surrounded by family.

Jim was born April 25, 1929 in Pacific, Franklin County, MO the oldest son of Ralph and Lena Hemphill Wills. When he was nine, he joined the Cub Scout program, and in April 1937 he took his trumpet to the Greene County Court House to join the beginner's band of the National Boy Scout Band. He played for Richard "Richie" Robertson who created and directed the band. When he was twelve, he was a member of the Boy Scout Concert Band. He joined Boy Scout Troop Six, and when he was sixteen, he joined the Springfield Sea Scout Ship. He attended Springfield schools: Phelps, Jarett and graduated from Senior High School.

In 1946 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served two years as a radio operator on various destroyers. He received the World War II Victory Medal and served six years in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Jim attended SMS (MSU), Springfield, MO on the G.I. Bill and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1951.

He married Jo Ellen Suttles July 1, 1950 at the First & Calvary Presbyterian Church, Springfield, MO.

Jim was a civilian instructor for the U.S. Air Force Air Training command at Scott Air Force Base, Belleville, IL. In 1953 he was hired as an Associate Professor, Electrical & Radio Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.

In 1960 he moved to Riverside, CA and worked as a civilian research and development engineer for the Naval Ordnance Laboratory, Corona, CA. In 1970 the Naval Ordnance Laboratory closed its facility and the family moved to China Lake, CA. In 1981 he retired and moved back to San Luis Obispo, CA where he taught on an as needed basis at Cal Poly.

Jim enjoyed commercial radio and amateur radio, sailing, golf, reading, genealogy and traveling. He was ordained as a Deacon at the First Presbyterian Church, Belleville, IL in 1952 and an Elder at the First Presbyterian Church, San Luis Obispo, CA in 1992.

He is survived by his wife Jo Ellen of 70 years, his two sons: John Wesley and his wife Ann; Paul Leslie and his wife Deborah; three grandsons: Kyle John and his wife Rachel, Maxwell Alexander and Camden Lewis; grand-daughter Megan Christine Donovan and her husband Nick; great-grand-daughters: Eleanor Althea and Olivia Ruth; brother Reverend Robert Kenneth and his wife Reverend Dr. Eleanor Carolyn; two nephews: Mark and his wife Elizabeth Ann; Michael Kenneth and his wife Elizabeth; and one niece: Sheri Wills Thompson and her husband Rock.

In the summer of 2006 Jim and Jo moved back to Springfield, MO and are members of Trinity Presbyterian Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a cause dear to your heart. Jim suffered with heart disease and Alzheimer's the past few years.

Private family services were held at Missouri Veterans Cemetery. Online condolences may be made at www.gormanscharpf.com.