Visitation: Friday, April 22, 2011
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Hill and Son Funeral Home

At Yuell's request, no funeral or memorial service will be held. A private interment will be at Appleton City Cemetery.

Memorials can be made to Hospice Compassus of Osceola, Missouri and left at the funeral home.

Yuell Lindy Willis, 82, died by his own hands April 19, 2011 in his home in Taberville, Missouri. Yuell was born August 1, 1928 in Essex, Missouri to Ira Eldo and Ada Willis. He and his brother Ira Lee were raised by their maternal grandparents William and Tillie Pruitt in the small town of Essex, Missouri where he was nicknamed "Corky" after the child character in the cartoon strip "Gasoline Alley". In 1987, Yuell retired from 41 years of service in the U.S. Army National Guard, working his way up from Army Cook to E8 Platoon Sergeant. He graduated from the University of Columbia, Missouri in 1954 with his Masters Degree in Biology. During his graduate study, he began working for the Missouri Department of Conservation, later retiring form the department at the age of 65 in 1993. He enjoyed photographing nature, collecting historic coins, rocks, minerals and fossils. He also read extensively on American military history and collected firearms.

In 1968, Yuell was united in marriage to Helen Shouse and to this union two children were born. In 1984 Helen preceded Yuell in death. In 1993, Yuell then married Ellen Miller.

Yuell is survived by Ellen Willis, his son Kendall Willis of San Jose, California, his daughter Shari (Willis/Setzer) Hadley and her husband Jim Hadley of Bolivar, Missouri, his grandson Oliver Setzer of Bolivar, Missouri, and his step-son Biron Miller and his wife Vicki of Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

He was preceded in death by his wife Helen (Shouse) Willis, his brother Ira Lee Willis, his infant brother Dwight Willis, and his son in law, Randy (Long) Setzer.

A special thank you to Hospice Compassus of Osceola, Missouri and the St.Clair County Police Department.